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No Other Land, a film about the alliance that develops between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist amid their people’s conflict in the occupied West Bank, won the documentary feature film Oscar on Sunday.

Accepting the award at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre were Palestinian activist Basel Adra, born in 1996, and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, born in 1995.

The film shows Adra resisting the forced displacement of his people by the Israeli army in the West Bank community of Masafer Yatta. The film shows Israeli soldiers tearing down homes and evicting residents to create a military training zone.

Adra befriends Abraham, but their relationship is challenged by the gap in their living conditions.

Adra said: “No Other Land reflects the harsh reality that we have been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”

Abraham said they made the film because together their voices were stronger.

“We see each other, the atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people which must end, the Israeli hostages brutally taken in the crime of October 7 which must be freed.

“When I look at Basel I see my brother but we are unequal. We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law and Basel is under military law that destroys his life and he cannot control.

“There is a different path — a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people. And I have to say as I’m here, the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path.

“And why? Can’t you see that we are intertwined? That my people can be truly safe if Basel’s people are truly free and safe. There is another way. It’s not too late for life, for the living.”

‘So proud’

Activist Alana Hadid, the sister of models Gigi and Bella Hadid, celebrated No Other Land’s and shared a video of her television screen as she watched the ceremony.

“You can hear my tears,” Alana captioned the post.

Beauty mogul Huda Kattan commented on Alana’s video with a series of crying emojis, and Palestinian rapper Sammy Shiblaq called the moment “Palestinian excellence”.

Other social media users celebrated the win as well as Adra and Abraham’s speeches.

Some X (formerly Twitter) users highlighted that the Palestinian film won with Gal Gadot in the crowd. The Wonder Woman actor is a known supporter of Israel and infamously served two years in the Israel Defence Forces before rising to global stardom.

Journalist Mehdi Hasan underscored that the documentary just won an Oscar but was unable to get a distributor in the United States, “which tells you everything about censorship in the US”.

Another X user highlighted that the film had more Oscars than it did distribution offers.

“Free Palestine forever,” they wrote.