Hamdan Ballal is finally free after what can only be described as the worst night ever—like, imagine your worst Monday morning, but multiply it by a hundred, and add handcuffs.
The Palestinian filmmaker and co-director of No Other Land found himself in a real-life horror movie after reportedly being attacked by settlers and then—plot twist—detained by the Israeli military in the West Bank. Because, you know, nothing says “justice” like getting arrested after being the victim of an attack.
His fellow director, Yuval Abraham, took to X (formerly Twitter, but we all still call it Twitter) to update everyone:
“After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family.”
Translation: He survived a truly ridiculous ordeal and is finally getting to do what he should have been doing in the first place—minding his own business.
What Actually Happened?
According to witnesses, a bunch of settlers decided to go full-on villain mode, attacking the Palestinian village of Susiya in the Masafer Yatta area, wrecking property, and causing all kinds of chaos.
Hamdan, like any reasonable person, ended up in an ambulance after sustaining a head injury. But instead of getting the “rest and recovery” package, he got the “handcuffs and detention” special, courtesy of some soldiers who apparently missed the part where he was the one attacked.
An activist group reported that Hamdan and another Palestinian man were detained right from the ambulance, because why let a minor inconvenience like basic human decency get in the way?
And as if that wasn’t enough, his lawyer, Leah Tsemel, revealed that Hamdan spent the night blindfolded, handcuffed, and getting beaten by two soldiers in a military base—because apparently, that’s how they do customer service over there.
Yuval had earlier updated everyone, saying, “He’s still held in the Kiryat Arba police station.” Because clearly, someone decided the beatings weren’t enough and wanted to add a little extra misery to the situation.
About No Other Land
For those who don’t know, No Other Land is a powerful documentary by both Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, highlighting the forced displacement of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta. The Israeli military and settlers have been taking over the area ever since a court ruling labeled it a “closed military zone”—which is basically a fancy way of saying, “You live here? Not anymore!”
Hamdan’s ordeal is yet another example of the very thing No Other Land documents. Except this time, the behind-the-scenes footage involved actual handcuffs.
But at least he’s free now. Hopefully, his next big premiere involves a red carpet instead of a jail cell.
After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family.
— Yuval Abraham יובל אברהם (@yuval_abraham) March 25, 2025
