A powerful voice for Palestinian rights was silenced this week as Odeh Muhammad Hadalin, an activist and educator featured in the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was shot and killed by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank.
Hadalin, a respected figure in his village of Umm al-Khair in Masafer Yatta, had dedicated his life to advocating for his people and resisting the steady encroachment of illegal settlements. He played a pivotal role in No Other Land, a documentary that brought global attention to the daily violence, land theft, and forced evictions faced by Palestinian communities in the region. The film’s recent Oscar win in March had amplified their struggle on the international stage — and Hadalin’s voice was central to that message.
According to eyewitnesses and the Palestinian Ministry of Education, Hadalin was standing outside a community centre in Umm al-Khair when he was shot in the chest by an Israeli settler during a raid on the village. He later died from his injuries.
“My dear friend Awdah was slaughtered this evening,” wrote Basel Adra, a co-director of the documentary and close friend of Hadalin. “This is how Israel erases us — one life at a time.” Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist and fellow co-director, confirmed the killing and shared footage online that appeared to show the gunman — identified by residents as Yinon Levi — opening fire near Palestinian homes.
Levi has previously been sanctioned by both the EU and the U.S. for violent acts against Palestinians. Despite video evidence and local identification, Israeli police have yet to announce any charges. Instead, authorities arrested four Palestinians and two foreign nationals who were reportedly present at the scene.
Masafer Yatta, where Hadalin lived, has long been under threat. Declared a military “firing zone” by Israel in the 1980s, the area’s residents face constant threats of demolition and forced removal.
Hadalin’s death comes just as Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released a new report accusing Israel of carrying out acts of genocide in Gaza and the West Bank.
