NAZA’ Documentary Opens in the US, Fuelling Renewed Debate Over Gaza
Israeli documentary NAZA has opened in US theatres, bringing disputed accounts from Israeli military and intelligence personnel about operations in Gaza to American audiences at a time when debate over US military support for Israel remains politically sensitive. The film is being released ahead of US congressional elections and as Israel also prepares for elections later this month.
Directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the NAZA is built around interviews with 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers whose identities have not been revealed.
The film examines how surveillance, intelligence, and targeting systems were used during the Gaza war.
When it debuted at the Venice Film Festival in September, it received the Special Jury Prize and also a 25-minute standing ovation.
The Story Behind ‘NAZA’
The title ‘NAZA’ refers to a Hebrew military acronym used for anticipated “collateral casualties” in an airstrike. It claims that Israel used sophisticated systems to detect and kill suspected terrorists-some of which were powered by artificial intelligence and carried out attacks that the military knew would result in a large number of civilian casualties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the film was antisemitic, and a Cabinet minister threatened to strip the filmmakers of their citizenship. Yoval Abraham, one of the co-directors, fears he may not be able to return to Israel.
At the New York Film Festival premiere last month, dozens of protesters gathered outside with images of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack. Abraham acknowledged the attack as a “massacre” and said it was “completely unjustified,” but argued that it could not justify the killing of civilians in Gaza or deaths at food distribution sites.
IDF pushes back against ‘NAZA’ claims
The Israeli military has “categorically” rejected the film’s findings, saying its orders clearly distinguish between militants and civilians and that it works to minimise civilian harm “to the greatest extent feasible.”
The military acknowledged using AI in its intelligence operations but said the technology does not make the final decisions. According to the military, intelligence officers select potential targets, while operational commanders decide whether to carry out a strike. It also said some interviewees appeared to have only limited knowledge of the broader targeting process.
The documentary’s filmmakers, however, have defended their reporting. “After you watch the film, it becomes much harder to doubt that these are real people,” co-director Yuval Abraham said at the New York premiere. “It’s all truthful, it’s all vetted, and we feel very, very confident about it.”
By bringing accounts from Israeli military insiders to American audiences, NAZA is likely to renew discussion over Israel’s military conduct in Gaza and the role of US support for its military campaign.
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