Israeli military rejects 'NAZA' documentary exposing AI-driven bombing in Gaza

What is NAZA about?

At the heart of the documentary is the testimony of 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence insiders. Filmed in secret at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv, their faces and voices are digitally obscured to protect their identities.

These whistleblowers describe a highly industrialised, automated system of warfare. They detail how the military utilised an artificial intelligence tracking tool, referred to as "Lavender", to scan Gaza’s telecommunications network—including phone logs and location data—to automatically compile lists of bombing targets.

According to the film’s sources, the military actively preferred targeting suspected Hamas operatives at night when they were at home with their families. The title NAZA itself refers to a Hebrew military acronym used to denote the number of civilian casualties expected in any given airstrike. One whistleblower claimed that, in some instances, commanders authorised the killing of up to 500 civilians to eliminate a single high-ranking target.

"They know the house they are bombing is full of children," co-director Yuval Abraham told reporters in Venice, explaining how intelligence officers could often hear babies crying over active wiretaps right before ordering a strike.

How has the Israeli military responded?

The Israel Defense Forces have strongly pushed back against the documentary's claims. In a statement, the military said it "categorically rejects" the allegations.

The military criticised the film’s reliance on anonymous sources, arguing that the claims made by the whistleblowers "cannot be verified". The IDF maintained that its operations are guided by international law and that it "makes unprecedented efforts to minimise harm to civilians" during its military campaign in Gaza.

Who is behind the film?

NAZA was directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaking duo Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. They previously won an Academy Award in 2025 for No Other Land, a collaborative documentary with Palestinian filmmakers that focused on the West Bank.

The film is produced by British producer James Wilson alongside The Guardian, with The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer.

The documentary premiered on Thursday night to a standing ovation that lasted between 24 and 25 minutes. It is the only documentary in competition for the Golden Lion at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Why does it matter now?

The film arrives as the war in Gaza approaches its fourth year, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting that more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed under intense bombardment, the majority of them civilians. Because foreign journalists have been barred from entering Gaza independently, the filmmakers argue that internal whistleblowers offer a vital, rare window into the mechanics of the air campaign.

Abraham expressed hope that the film's detailed exposure of automated warfare would prompt Western governments to reconsider their diplomatic and military backing of Israel.