The co-director of No Other Land and famous Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal became a target when Israeli settlers assaulted him inside his village of Susiya which exists within the Israeli-occupied West Bank territory. March 24th in the year 2025 marked the day when Ballal along with his fellow villagers enjoyed their Iftar meal before the incident started.
The attack on Susiya took place when a group of masked settlers descended with baton weapons and knives and at least one assault rifle. From a well-organized group of settlers Ballal suffered two injuries on his body and his home came under vicious attack when the gang threw stones and smashed windows then vandalized his cars by using knives to cut tires. Ballal suffered wounds to his head and his abdomen during the attacking moment.
During their stay in the ambulance Ballal and another Palestinian patient experienced detention by members of the Israeli military personnel. Israeli soldiers conducted an unlawful ambulance takeover by removing the victims before blindfolding them for an unannounced destination. The Israeli military claimed to take custody of three Palestinians who threw rocks at security forces as well as an Israeli citizen who took part in a violent Israeli-Palestinian clash per witnesses during the incident.
According to Yuval Abraham who directs Ballal's film company on X social media he is worried about his colleague since their capture during the attack. The International Documentary Association issued a condemnation against the attack following which they demanded information about Ballal's health condition and the reason behind his imprisonment.
The documentary No Other Land shows how Israeli forces alongside settlers try to displace Palestinian communities dwelling in Masafer Yatta. The Academy honored No Other Land with the 2025 Best Documentary Feature Award.
This incident serves as a reminder of the persistent strife along with violence occurring within the West Bank region against Palestinian civilians as handled by Israeli military personnel alongside settlers. Human rights organizations actively follow the situation while aggressively supporting people like Ballal who reveal true experiences within their communities.