Oscar Winner's Harrowing Ordeal: A Tale of Struggle and Resilience

Hamdan Ballal, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, was attacked by an Israeli settler and soldiers in his West Bank village. Beaten and detained for over 20 hours, Ballal recounts his ordeal amidst conflicting claims. The incident underscores ongoing tensions in the region highlighted in his award-winning documentary.

Hamdan Ballal, the Oscar-winning director of the documentary "No Other Land," has described a violent attack by an Israeli settler and soldiers in his West Bank village. He recounted to The Associated Press how he was targeted and detained in a harrowing ordeal that left him bruised and bloodied.

The attack occurred as tensions flared in the southern West Bank village of Susiya, which is prominently featured in Ballal's film. The documentary highlights the residents' struggles against settler violence and military plans to demolish their homes. Witnesses reported about two dozen Jewish settlers, accompanied by police and soldiers, stormed the village, damaging property and sparking chaos.

Despite Ballal's insistence that he was not involved in any stone-throwing incident, the Israeli military detained him along with two others. His attacker's denial and claims that settlers were provoked further complicate an already tense situation. Ballal's lawyer, Lea Tsemel, confirms that the detainees received minimal medical attention following their release after hours of detention.

(With inputs from agencies.)