The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has addressed its 11,000 members after facing significant backlash regarding its inadequate support for Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal, who was detained by Israeli authorities in the West Bank earlier this week.

Reports indicate that the Academy issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing the 'harm to artists,' yet it notably failed to mention Ballal by name, who was apprehended by Israeli forces.

By Thursday morning, a letter began circulating among AMPAS members, expressing disappointment over the leadership's lack of public defense for Ballal.

In response to this criticism, the Academy released a follow-up letter on Friday, explicitly naming Ballal and apologizing for the earlier omission of both him and his film.

The letter stated, 'On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, connected to his artistic expression. We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world. We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances.'

This message, signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang, highlighted the organization's recognition of the members' concerns.

Previously, around 600 Oscar voters, including notable figures like Ava DuVernay, Olivia Colman, and Javier Bardem, signed an open letter criticizing the Academy's lack of support.

The updated letter, released on Friday, stated, 'It is indefensible for an organization to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later.'

This reaction follows a statement from AMPAS leaders Bill Kramer and Janet Yang on Wednesday, which suggested that Ballal's situation involved 'many unique viewpoints.' Other celebrities who signed the letter included Mark Ruffalo, Oscar-winning director Jonathan Glazer, Emma Thompson, Tony Kushner, Richard Gere, Andrea Riseborough, and Todd Haynes.

Hamdan Ballal, who co-directed the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was assaulted and arrested by the Israeli military earlier this week.

The incident took place in the West Bank village of Susiya, Ballal's hometown, during a confrontation with settlers. Co-director Yuval Abraham reported that Ballal sustained injuries to his head and stomach, was zip-tied and blindfolded, and was released the following day.

The letter accused the Academy of neglecting to support a filmmaker whose work highlights challenging truths.

It stated, 'The targeting of Ballal is not just an attack on one filmmaker — it is an attack on all those who dare to bear witness and tell inconvenient truths. We will continue to watch over this film team. Winning an Oscar has put their lives in increasing danger, and we will not mince words when the safety of fellow artists is at stake.'

No Other Land chronicles the story of a Palestinian family in the West Bank as they face the destruction of their home by the Israeli government and the threat of displacement.