Israeli police has released Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, after detaining him a day earlier for “hurling rocks” following what activists described as an attack by settlers in the occupied West Bank, AFP reports.

Basel Adra, who worked with Ballal on the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land”, posted a photo of Ballal on X after his release with blood stains on his shirt.

“After I won the Oscar, I did not expect to be exposed to such attacks,” Ballal said in a video by AFPTV. “It was a very strong attack and the goal was to kill.”

Ballal said he had been attacked by a settler. “He was hitting me all over my body and there was also a soldier with him hitting me.”

A police spokesperson confirmed Ballal had been detained, while a later statement from the force said three people had been released on bail.