In brief
Hamdan Ballal, known for his Oscar-winning documentary, faced a violent assault by masked individuals while observing Ramadan at his home in Susya, raising alarms over settler violence and military response in the region.
Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian director of the acclaimed documentary "No Other Land," endured a brutal attack by masked assailants near his home in Susya, located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses confirmed on March 24, 2025. The assault reportedly involved around 20 individuals, primarily teenagers, armed with rocks, sticks, and knives. Joseph Kaplan Weinger, a 26-year-old volunteer providing protection against settler violence, shared details of the confrontation, where he observed the attackers assaulting West Bank residents who were in the midst of breaking their fast during Ramadan.As the chaos unfolded, Weinger attempted to alert nearby Israeli military personnel by honking his car horn but claimed the soldiers were unresponsive. Upon his arrival at the scene, he discovered traces of Mr. Ballal's blood on the ground, indicating the severity of the assault.Witnesses confirmed that Mr. Ballal, 37, was among three Palestinians taken into custody during the incident. Leah Zemel, the lawyer representing the detainees, reported receiving information that they were being held at a military facility for medical treatment prior to questioning, though the reasons for their detention remained unclear.The Israeli military characterized the incident as a violent confrontation, stating that "several terrorists" had thrown rocks at Israeli citizens in the area, prompting a retaliatory response. According to a military statement, both Palestinians and Israelis engaged in "mutual rock hurling." The tension in the region continues to rise, especially with ongoing disputes surrounding property and territorial claims during the sensitive month of Ramadan.
