Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor face government backlash following the theatrical rollout of their documentary NAZA, an investigative feature examining civilian casualties and military targeting systems in Gaza.
NAZA Premieres at Venice Film Festival and US Theaters
The documentary NAZA — named for the Israeli military’s Hebrew acronym representing the number of civilians that could die when tallying up an estimated death-toll ahead of a strike — premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 10, 2026, where it earned a record-breaking 25-minute standing ovation and the Special Jury Prize. Co-directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the film subsequently held its North American premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival and opened in U.S. theaters, including Laemmle theaters in Los Angeles. Producer James Wilson noted that the film has a planned free online release via The Guardian in late November.
Military Insiders Describe AI Tools Used to Target Gaza
The film centers on interviews with Israeli military insiders who describe the operational use of artificial intelligence tools, such as the system designated Lavender, to process surveillance and recommend targets in Gaza. According to the interviewees, commanders accepted high civilian casualty thresholds during strikes on senior militants. The documentary builds upon prior reporting published between 2023 and 2025 by +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian.
The reporting overall rests upon discussions involving more than 100 confidential sources through a partnership with the investigative desk of The Guardian across the 2023-2025 period. Jonathan Glazer serves as an executive producer on the project, maintaining a long professional history with producer James Wilson that spans from the filmmaker’s first feature Sexy Beast in 2000 through Under the Skin in 2013 and The Zone of Interest in 2023. The documentary weaves in historical and cultural references, including allusions to Claude Lanzmann and his landmark documentary Shoah about the Holocaust, alongside echoes of Hannah Arendt’s Eichmann in Jerusalem.
During the production, the co-directors employed a minimalist aesthetic, avoiding traditional talking heads or file footage of airstrikes in favor of nighttime conversations held on rooftops overlooking Tel Aviv. Interviewees appear with obscured faces and voices, occasionally using pen and paper to illustrate the mechanics of what they describe. Among the claims highlighted in the film’s promotional materials is the allegation that the Israel Defense Forces approved killing 500 civilians in a single strike. Viewers also encounter commentary referencing earlier historical periods, such as the Six-Day War when Israel gained control of territories from Egyptian and Jordanian administration.
We wanted it to be a simple film.
Rachel Szor, co-director
Government Backlash and Threats Against Filmmakers
The documentary’s reception in Israel triggered political and public condemnation. Israeli government officials have scrambled to discredit NAZA’s content, and far-right activists have threatened the filmmakers. Producer James Wilson has addressed the backlash regarding the safety and stress experienced by the directors.
IDF Rebuttal and the Counter-Film Release
The Israel Defense Forces issued a rebuttal stating that NAZA presents a distorted picture of target planning. The military stated that Lavender functions as a database designed to cross-reference intelligence layers on terror operatives rather than an approved target list, while noting that operational bodies manage the actual strike approval process. Concurrently, a counter-project titled NAZA: The Real Story was promoted. While organizers reported over 30 million views online, critics and analysts highlighted challenges in verifying viewer demographics.