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News of Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal’s attack at the hand of Israeli settlers and subsequent arrest by Israeli forces has sent shockwaves across the internet, with people expressing their outrage and disbelief.

Ballal, one of the co-directors of No Other Land, that won Best Documentary at the Oscars earlier this month was attacked on Monday night by a group of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, beaten and then pulled from his ambulance and arrested by members of the Israeli Defence Force. He has not been seen since, according to his co-director Yuval Abraham.

Abraham shared news of the attack on X, as well as videos of the settlers.

Basel Adra, the other co-director of No Other Land, also shared the news and said Ballal was still missing after being abducted.

Social media was full of condemnation and anger, drawing parallels between Ballal’s recent Oscar win and this news.

Others condemned the Academy Awards for its silence.

Many noted how many celebrities were quiet about the news.

One of the few celebrities to immediately comment was Tom Morello, of the band Rage Against the Machine.

Many people took issue with Western media reporting of the attack, which noticeably did not mention where the settlers were from.

Many others shared how brave they thought Ballal is, highlighting how powerful his work is.

“Filmmakers will not be silenced,” wrote one user.

A member of the Israeli Knesset, Ofer Cassif, said all attempts to receive official confirmation of his location, including by him, had failed. “Under the tyrannical occupation, even the Oscar can’t protect you from harm.”

As news of Ballal’s attack and arrest spread, outrage continues to grow online, with calls resounding for his release.