Odeh Muhammad Hadalin, a well-known Palestinian activist and educator, was shot and killed by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses. Hadalin lived in the village of Umm al-Khair, located in the Masafer Yatta region south of Hebron. He was best known for his role in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, which highlighted the daily struggles of Palestinians facing settler violence and displacement.
The Palestinian Ministry of Education confirmed his death on Monday, saying Hadalin was killed during a settler attack on his village. Witnesses say he was standing outside the village community center when he was shot in the chest. He later died from his injuries.
Basel Adra, one of the co-directors of No Other Land and a close friend of Hadalin, posted an emotional message online, calling his death a painful loss. Another co-director of the film, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, also confirmed the killing and shared a video that allegedly shows the settler firing his weapon. Abraham said the shooter has been identified by locals as Yinon Levi, an Israeli settler who has previously been sanctioned by the US and EU for violence against Palestinians.
Israeli police confirmed a Palestinian man had died in what they called an “incident near Carmel,” a nearby illegal settlement. They added that the exact details are still under investigation. Four Palestinians and two foreign nationals were also arrested at the scene.
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, another Palestinian man was injured after being beaten by settlers and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Masafer Yatta, where Hadalin lived, is a group of small Palestinian communities in an area Israel declared a military “firing zone” in the 1980s. Residents have lived under constant threat of eviction and demolition, but continue to resist these actions to stay on their ancestral land.
No Other Land, the film Hadalin helped bring to life, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in March. The movie gained global attention for showing the harsh realities of life under occupation and gave a voice to communities like Umm al-Khair.
Hadalin’s killing happened the same day that Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released a report accusing Israel of committing acts of genocide in both Gaza and the West Bank during ongoing military operations and settler violence.
His death has sparked anger and sorrow among Palestinian communities and human rights advocates around the world. Many say it is another example of how settlers often act with little fear of punishment, contributing to a growing crisis in the occupied territories.
