Israeli authorities have intensified pressure on the creators of "NAZA," an award-winning documentary featuring testimony from Israeli military and intelligence personnel that sheds light on war crimes and the mechanisms behind civilian killings in Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branding the film "antisemitic incitement," the military pursuing possible legal action and a minister threatening its directors with loss of citizenship.
The documentary, directed by Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. It draws on anonymized testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence personnel who describe targeting practices and systems used during Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
Netanyahu condemned the documentary in a video statement, claiming Israel was confronting "antisemitic incitement" not only abroad but also from within the country.
Israeli military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday ordered the military prosecutor to examine possible legal measures against those involved in the film, citing what the army described as "false claims" about its soldiers and potential risks to state security.
Zamir accused the filmmakers of defaming the military and deliberately distorting reality, while the army rejected allegations presented in the documentary. It disputed claims about the use of artificial intelligence in targeting and said strike decisions are ultimately made by human personnel.
"NAZA" takes its name from a Hebrew acronym referring to the number of civilians expected to be killed in a military strike, according to the filmmakers.
The documentary features Israeli military and intelligence personnel whose faces and voices were digitally altered to protect their identities. The interviews were secretly filmed over three years on rooftops in Tel Aviv.
Participants describe surveillance and targeting methods used in Gaza and say that homes were struck despite knowledge that civilians and family members were inside. Others recount witnessing residential areas used by displaced Palestinians being deliberately burned and Palestinians being killed during food distribution.
Some of those interviewed reportedly served in secret intelligence units with links to Netanyahu's office.
Pressure on the filmmakers escalated after the documentary received the Venice award.
Culture Minister Miki Zohar threatened to seek the revocation of Abraham and Szor's Israeli citizenship, accusing them of betraying the country, while far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir branded the filmmakers "a disgrace and an embarrassment."
The backlash comes as Israel faces mounting international scrutiny over its genocidal conduct in Gaza, where its military campaign has devastated much of the Palestinian enclave since October 2023.
Israel's subsequent offensive has killed more than 73,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while U.N. figures indicate that more than 20,000 children are among the dead.
