‘They had knives, batons, M-16’—Eyewitnesses describe brutal attack on Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal

Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, who was attacked by Israel settlers in the West Bank village of Susiya and later detained by Israeli forces, has been released from custody. Ballal and two other Palestinians left a police station in Kiryat Arba on Tuesday (March 25), where they had been held following the violent assault.

Eyewitnesses have described a brutal attack by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Susiya, where Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was beaten and later detained by Israeli forces. According to testimonies given to The Guardian, the attackers were heavily armed, with some carrying batons and knives, while one was seen holding an M-16 rifle.

Ballal was among three Palestinians detained in the village of Susiya, as confirmed by attorney Leah Tsemmel. Police informed her that the detainees were being held at a military base for medical treatment, but she had not been able to speak with them, as per AP report.

Settlers and soldiers involved in the assault

Basel Adra, another co-director of No Other Land, who witnessed the events, stated, as reported by AP, that approximately two dozen settlers—some masked, some armed, and some in Israeli military uniform—entered the village and attacked residents. Soldiers arriving on the scene reportedly pointed their guns at Palestinians while settlers continued throwing stones.

"We came back from the Oscars, and every day since, there is an attack on us," Adra told AP. "This might be their revenge on us for making the movie. It feels like a punishment."

The Israeli military, in a statement, claimed it had detained three Palestinians suspected of throwing rocks at forces, along with one Israeli civilian involved in what they described as a "violent confrontation." Witnesses interviewed by AP disputed this claim, asserting that settlers initiated the violence.

Ballal’s wife heard his cries

Adra recounted that the attack took place shortly after residents had broken their daily fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. A known settler, who Adra said had frequently targeted the village, approached Ballal’s home accompanied by Israeli soldiers. Soldiers fired warning shots into the air before Ballal was taken.

According to Adra, Ballal’s wife heard her husband being beaten outside and screaming, "I'm dying." Shortly afterward, Adra saw soldiers leading Ballal away, blindfolded and handcuffed, into a military vehicle. He told AP that Ballal’s blood was still visible on the ground outside his home.

Another eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation, corroborated elements of Adra’s account.

Activists also targeted in the attack

A group of 10-20 masked settlers also attacked activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence, using stones and sticks. According to activist Josh Kimelman, settlers smashed car windows and slashed tires to drive the activists away from the area.

Video footage provided by the Center for Jewish Nonviolence shows a masked settler physically assaulting two activists in a dusty field at night. As rocks pelted their vehicle, the activists were seen rushing back to their car.

Background: No Other Land and its impact

No Other Land documents the struggle of Masafer Yatta residents against Israeli military attempts to demolish their villages. Ballal and Adra, both from Masafer Yatta, co-directed the film with Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.

The film No Other Land has won multiple international awards, beginning with its recognition at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, and culminating in an Academy Award for Best Documentary. However, it has faced backlash in Israel and internationally, with incidents such as Miami Beach city officials proposing to end the lease of a theater that screened the film.