The controversial Israeli documentary NAZA has opened in U.S. theaters, detailing allegations from 24 anonymous military insiders that Israel used AI systems like Lavender to execute strikes despite knowing they would cause massive civilian casualties. The Israel Defense Forces categorically deny these claims, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has labeled the film antisemitic. The release coincides with a historic low in U.S. favorability toward Israel, with a Chicago Council poll showing score of 44 and 56% of Americans favoring military aid cuts.
Theatrical and streaming release of NAZA
- ▪The documentary NAZA will be made available for free streaming on The Guardian's website in late November 2026.
- ▪The documentary NAZA is scheduled to expand its United States theatrical release to cities including Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle on October 9, 2026.
- ▪The Israeli documentary NAZA, which details allegations of reckless civilian killings in Gaza by the Israeli military, opened in United States theaters, starting at New York's IFC Center.
Allegations and content of the documentary
- ▪An anonymous soldier in NAZA claimed that approval was granted for an operation targeting a single Hamas militant that anticipated up over 50 civilian deaths, and another cited up to 500.
- ▪The documentary NAZA is built on anonymous interviews with 24 members of the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli intelligence, whose claims were vetted by the filmmakers.
- ▪The documentary NAZA contends that Israel used sophisticated artificial intelligence systems, including tools named Lavender and Where's Daddy, to identify and track targets in Gaza.
Reactions and threats surrounding the film
- ▪The Israel Defense Forces categorically denied the allegations in NAZA, stating that strike decisions are made solely by human personnel and not by artificial intelligence.
- ▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the documentary NAZA as antisemitic, and an unnamed Cabinet minister threatened to strip the filmmakers of their citizenship.
- ▪The Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Documentary Association, and over 2,000 signatories have condemned threats against NAZA filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
Impact of the October 7 attacks
- ▪The October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages, all of whom have since been recovered alive or dead.
- ▪Many Israeli residents living near the Gaza border remain deeply traumatized by the October 7, 2023, attacks, viewing Palestinians primarily as an ongoing security threat.
Palestinian casualties in Gaza
- ▪Gaza's Health Ministry reports that women and children make up approximately half of the recorded Palestinian deaths in the conflict.
- ▪Israel's military offensive has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including more than 1,400 since a ceasefire took hold in 2025, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
American military aid to Israel
- ▪An academic study published in 2025 found that the Biden and Trump administrations provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel in the first two years of the war.
- ▪An October 5, 2026, Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll found Americans' favorability of Israel dropped to record low 44, and 56 percent believe the United States should reduce or cut military assistance, up from 38 percent in 2022.
Debatable claims
- ▪Israel's use of AI targeting systems in Gaza is ethically unjustified
- ▪The documentary NAZA accurately depicts Israel's military operations in Gaza
- ▪The United States should reduce or cut military aid to Israel
- ▪High civilian casualties are an acceptable cost of eliminating Hamas militants
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