Israeli Leaders Slam Venice-Winning Gaza Documentary 'NAZA'

An Israeli documentary examining the civilian toll of the war in Gaza has drawn sharp condemnation from the country's top political and military figures after it won the special jury prize at the Venice International Film Festival.

"NAZA" gathers testimony from dozens of Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers who allege that artificial intelligence is used to identify and strike suspected Hamas targets, often with the knowledge that many civilians are likely to die. The title is an acronym used by Israel's military to denote collateral damage.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of his cabinet and his rivals in next month's Israeli elections have all criticised the film, describing it variously as antisemitic and as part of a wider effort to defame the country. Many acknowledged they had not watched it.

"We are fighting global anti-Semitic incitement," Netanyahu said on Monday. "When it comes from within us, it's simply unbearable."

Culture Minister Miki Zohar called for the documentary's Israeli co-directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, to be stripped of their citizenship. A spokesperson for Netanyahu's office, Doron Spielman, rejected the film's claims and questioned the filmmakers' motives, saying Israel had not been given a chance to see the movie before it screened.

"What they wanted was awards from overseas from Israel haters, and they wanted a standing applause," he said, referring to the lengthy ovation the film received in Venice. He added that the government had asked to view the film so it could respond to the allegations directly.

Spielman also disputed the film's central premise, saying that decisions in Israel are made by humans seeking to limit civilian casualties, and that the documentary belongs in the fiction rather than documentary category. He further criticised The Guardian, which co-produced the film, accusing the newspaper of taking a consistently anti-Israel position.

"NAZA" is the second documentary from Abraham and Szor, following "No Other Land," which chronicled Palestinians in part of the occupied West Bank facing home demolitions by Israeli troops and attacks by Israeli settlers. It was co-produced by The Guardian and the filmmakers behind the 2023 Oscar-winning "The Zone of Interest."

Many of the film's central claims have been reported previously. Israel's response echoes how officials have reacted to past criticism of the country's conduct, by attacking critics, questioning their motives and challenging the credibility of allegations.

The reaction also reflects the gulf between how the war is viewed in Israel and abroad. Israelis have largely regarded the conflict as an act of self-defence after the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw 251 taken hostage — the deadliest day in Israel's history. Internationally, the war has drawn widespread condemnation and accusations of war crimes.

Nearly three years of fighting has destroyed most of Gaza and killed at least 73,789 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and its figures are generally considered reliable by the international community.