A documentary unveiled at the Venice Film Festival alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely considered in Israeli military targeting decisions during the war in Gaza.
“NAZA,” directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, draws on testimony from intelligence officers and soldiers. The film takes its title from an Israeli military term referring to the expected number of “collateral casualties” in an airstrike.
One officer interviewed anonymously described the campaign as involving “mass killing on an industrial scale.”
The documentary received a 25-minute standing ovation at its premiere. It was reportedly the longest ovation at the festival this year.
The film challenges Israel’s official account of its military operations in Gaza. Israel says it has taken extensive measures to protect civilians. It also accuses Hamas of operating among civilians in densely populated areas. Hamas denies the allegation.
Gaza health authorities say more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its military campaign following the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023. The attack killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures.
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Abraham told Reuters that the film examines a targeting system that he says deliberately targets people in civilian areas and family homes. He alleged that some strikes could involve hundreds of expected civilian casualties.
AI systems guiding attacks
Several intelligence officers interviewed in the documentary described an AI-assisted targeting system. They said it used information collected from thousands of hacked mobile phones to identify potential targets.
According to the testimony, a phrase such as “daddy’s home” detected on a child’s phone could help trigger an airstrike.
The officers also described civilian deaths in Israeli-designated no-go zones. Some incidents reportedly occurred near aid distribution centres.
One officer alleged that residents were not informed about the locations of these restricted areas. “They have to learn with blood,” the officer said.
The United Nations said last year that more than 400 Palestinians had been killed while seeking aid. Israel acknowledged that civilians had been harmed at distribution centres and said it had changed its rules of engagement.
Comparisons with the Holocaust
The documentary also examines historical patterns of dehumanisation. Several interviewees draw comparisons between what they witnessed in Gaza and the Holocaust.
Abraham said the connection came from the soldiers themselves. He argued that the film seeks to place discussions about the Holocaust within a broader universal context.
The Israeli Defense Forces did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment about the documentary.
The directors filmed all the interviews on rooftops in Tel Aviv at night. Images of destruction in Gaza appear only briefly at the end.
Szor said the approach was designed to contrast everyday life in Israel’s commercial capital with the devastation occurring roughly 60 kilometres away.
Szor won an Oscar with Abraham last year for “No Other Land,” a documentary about Israeli demolitions in the occupied West Bank.
She also said the film reflects what she described as a lack of empathy for Palestinian civilians among parts of Israeli society.
Many of the officers featured in “NAZA” served in elite military units. Szor said they do not fit the traditional image of ideological hardliners and some describe themselves as politically left-wing.
Abraham questioned whether Israel would hold anyone accountable for civilian deaths without external pressure.
He said justice and accountability would depend on political will in the United States and European Union.
“NAZA” is among 21 films competing for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. The award is scheduled to be presented on Saturday.
