Key facts
- A new documentary film, "NAZA," reveals testimony from 24 Israeli military insiders about secret systems used in the war on Gaza.
- The film details the use of AI-based systems to identify potential Hamas targets, leading to nighttime bombings that also killed their families.
- Israeli soldiers hacked into phones to locate targets and listened to conversations before attacks.
- The documentary highlights the destruction of neighborhoods, burning of homes, and killings at a food distribution site.
- Some interviewees worked in a secret intelligence unit reporting directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
- The film builds on revelations previously published by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian.
A new documentary film, "NAZA," has revealed extensive testimony from Israeli military insiders detailing secret systems and practices used in the war on Gaza, focusing on the mass killing of Palestinian civilians. The film, directed by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on Thursday.
The documentary features interviews with 24 former Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity, with their identities digitally altered for security reasons. They describe AI-based systems designed to identify and target low-ranking Hamas operatives, often resulting in the deaths of their families when homes were bombed at night. The soldiers also recounted hacking into phones to pinpoint targets and covertly listening to their final moments.
"NAZA" also presents firsthand accounts of the destruction of entire neighborhoods, the burning of civilian homes, and killings at a food distribution site. Some interviewees were part of a secret intelligence unit that reported directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, with one stating their mission was to "thwart peace."
The directors emphasized that the film examines the orders, policies, and accepted practices that enable such actions, rather than isolated incidents by rogue soldiers. The documentary builds upon previous investigative reporting by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian. The film's premiere was met with anticipation, with Venice film festival's artistic director Alberto Barbera calling it "truly groundbreaking" and "politically disruptive."
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli attacks in Gaza have resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths and more than 174,000 injuries, representing over 10% of the territory's pre-war population. The conflict began after Hamas-led attacks on Israel that killed over 1,200 people.