The IDF issued a forceful rejection on Monday of allegations presented in the documentary film "NAZA", which secured a special award at the Venice Film Festival over the weekend. In a rare public rebuke directed at filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the military dismissed the accusations of intentional harm to Palestinian civilians as entirely baseless and built on unsubstantiated testimonies.
This is completely false.
The IDF has never planned, approved, or carried out a strike in Gaza in which 500 civilians or anything near that number were anticipated to be killed. Nor was any credible claim raised throughout the war suggesting that an IDF strike had caused… https://t.co/wFUNt7bYTM
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 13, 2026
Releasing an official statement, the IDF characterized the film's core allegations as an "completely false." The military stressed it had never planned or authorized any strike in the Gaza Strip with an anticipated casualty count of 500 civilians – a claim widely circulated on social media by those promoting the release. Furthermore, the IDF noted the filmmakers failed to authenticate their assertions and lack any supporting evidence. It was also made clear independent verification of the interviewees' identities or military ranks remains impossible.
"The IDF has never planned, approved, or carried out a strike in Gaza in which 500 civilians or anything near that number were anticipated to be killed. Nor was any credible claim raised throughout the war suggesting that an IDF strike had caused anything near that number of fatalities," the IDF said on its X account. "The filmmakers couldn't possibly verify this claim, there is no real supporting evidence, and yet they published it anyway. Additionally, nothing about the interviewee, not his service nor his role can be independently checked and verified."
Elaborating in its comprehensive response, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated the documentary heavily relies on anonymous accounts from individuals whose military service or involvement in the specific incidents could not be confirmed. The military noted the testimonies misuse legal terminology and discuss high-level strategic matters falling far outside the purview of junior soldiers. The IDF firmly denied allegations of utilizing artificial intelligence for target selection. It made it clear human operators make all strike decisions in strict accordance with international law, prioritizing efforts to minimize harm to noncombatants whom Hamas systematically exploits as human shields.
Directed by Abraham and Szor, "NAZA" (which is a homonym on the Hebrew acronym for collateral damage) features supposed interviews with 24 soldiers and intelligence operatives speaking anonymously with voice distortion. Shot on Tel Aviv rooftops under the cover of night, the project was produced by the British newspaper The Guardian alongside acclaimed director Jonathan Glazer (the British director of The Zone of Interest) and almost entirely omits the October 7 massacre. The filmmakers, who previously collaborated on the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land" (a documentary about Palestinian displacement), sparked significant public outrage in Israel after capturing the jury prize at the Venice Film Festival over the weekend.
In the wake of the festival victory, Abraham addressed his detractors and urged them to view the film. He stated his primary objective was to expose the Israeli public to these military testimonies and foster awareness regarding operations in the Gaza Strip.
