Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian director beaten by Israeli settlers, is now released

TEL AVIV, Israel — Hamdan Ballal, one of the Palestinian directors of the Oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land, was attacked by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Monday, according to eyewitnesses. Ballal was then detained by Israeli forces but was released on Tuesday.

Nasser Nawajah, who lives in the Palestinian village of Susiya, told NPR that a group of masked Israeli settlers came Monday evening, right as people were getting ready to break the daily fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The settlers attacked houses, smashed cars and started attacking people, he said. Ballal was one of the people getting attacked.

Just a few weeks ago, Ballal was onstage with fellow filmmakers in Los Angeles accepting the Academy Award for a movie that documents the displacement of Palestinians and struggles of living under Israeli occupation.

Witnesses say that after the attack, the Israeli military arrived at the scene and detained Ballal, along with several others. The authorities accused him of throwing stones at security forces. Several witnesses deny that, saying Ballal practices nonviolence.

Ballal later told The Associated Press he was beaten outside his home by a known settler who had previously threatened him. He said the Israeli authorities blindfolded him while in detention.

Masked settlers also attacked Jewish activists at the scene, according to video seen by NPR provided by the group Center for Jewish Nonviolence. The group says it was in the village to document and try to de-escalate attacks against Palestinians, which have been on the rise since the war between Israel and Hamas began in 2023. Activists and residents say the attacks are often designed to intimidate Palestinians into leaving their land. Israeli security forces often turn a blind eye to settler violence.

Yanal Jabarin contributed to this story.