IDF rejects testimonies in Israeli-made documentary about AI-powered killing in Gaza

The Israeli military said Friday it “categorically rejects” allegations made in a new documentary by Israeli filmmakers about Israel’s AI-powered mass killing of civilians in Gaza, which received a 25-minute ovation at its premiere in Venice the day before. The Israeli-made film “NAZA” uses conversations with 24 different Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who spoke on condition that their identities be protected, with interviewees describing how they felt like they worked in a killing “factory” or a lethal video game. The 80-minute documentary comes from Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, with Abraham telling AFP the goal was to “hear in as much detail as possible, how the systems of killing in Gaza looked like, how they operated.” “NAZA” draws its name from a Hebrew acronym meaning collateral damage. The Israeli military on Friday criticized the use of anonymous testimonies in the film, saying the identities of the whistleblowers “cannot be verified,” including whether they served in the military or in what capacity. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms “The excerpts cited include claims regarding national and military strategy that are clearly beyond the knowledge of junior-level soldiers,” it added in a statement . Palestinians inspect the Abu Salim Mosque a day after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, August 25, 2026. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana) In the documentary, the men and women featured in “NAZA,” speaking on the nighttime rooftops of Tel Aviv with their voices and faces digitally altered, detail an AI-powered system known as “Lavender” that was allegedly used to identify people to be targeted. “Lavender” reportedly uses data from the mass surveillance of Gaza, where the entire telecommunications network is monitored by Israel, to identify targets based on their phone calls, movements and interactions. Advertisement (From L) British director Jonathan Glazer, Israeli journalist and director Rachel Szor, Israeli journalist and filmmaker Yuval Abraham attend the photocall of ‘Naza’ at the 83rd International Venice Film Festival, at Venice Lido on September 10, 2026. (Stefano RELLANDINI/AFP) Interviewees describe the systematic destruction of civilian homes, the disregard for war and humanitarian laws and a “general atmosphere” of “hatred” toward Palestinians. “It’s like a video game because everything is done remotely,” one interviewee involved in identifying targets says at one point. Another describes it as “insanely fun.” The IDF categorically denied this portrayal of systems’ use, saying that decisions regarding the selection and approval of strikes were made “by human personnel only… and not by artificial intelligence.” It said the IDF targets “terrorist organizations, foremost among them Hamas, in accordance with international law and the laws of armed conflict,” adding that it “makes unprecedented efforts to minimize harm to civilians.” It has denied Abraham’s reporting on the matter in the past , saying that it lacks “fundamental military understanding.” Advertisement Also on Friday, former prime minister Naftali Bennett slammed the documentary as a “blood libel” against Israel. “What makes it especially painful and infuriating is that this lie comes from Israeli filmmakers and is now being spread around the world,” Bennett posted on X the day after the premiere. “If Israel wanted to hurt the people of Gaza, we would not send our sons and daughters to fight house to house, through alleyways and tunnels, at the terrible cost of our own soldiers being killed and wounded,” he argued, adding that “The war in Gaza is terrible. The death of every child is a tragedy. But a terrible war is not genocide.” Yesterday, a film accusing Israel of genocide premiered. It’s a horrific blood libel against our sons and daughters. What makes it especially painful and infuriating is that this lie comes from Israeli filmmakers and is now being spread around the world. Let’s get the facts… — Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט (@naftalibennett) September 11, 2026 Israel launched the war in Gaza after the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people and saw another 251 taken hostage into Gaza. Advertisement More than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Hamas figures that do not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel has said that it tried to avoid killing civilians during its operations in Gaza, accusing Hamas of embedding its operatives and military infrastructure among the civilian population, including in hospitals, schools, refugee camps and mosques. On Thursday, Abraham and Szor received the record standing ovation at the 83rd Venice Film Festival that surpassed last year’s clapping, lasting 23 minutes for the docu-drama and Venice’s Best Film award “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” about the killing of a 6-year-old girl, her family and medics who came to save them in Gaza City in January 2024. Help us report truthfully on social media As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos. This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. 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