Rizky Amelia
An investigative documentary detailing the Israeli military's reliance on artificial intelligence to direct strikes in the Gaza Strip received an extraordinary 25-minute standing ovation during its world premiere at the 83rd Venice Film Festival.
The 80-minute film, titled *NAZA*, is directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The directing pair previously achieved international acclaim after earning an Academy Award in 2025 for *No Other Land*, a documentary focused on Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank that was created alongside Palestinian co-directors Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal.
Serving as the sole non-fiction entry in this year’s main Venezia 83 competition, *NAZA* delivers an inside look into algorithmic warfare. The project is the culmination of an investigative effort spanning nearly three years, exploring the technological mechanisms behind modern combat operations in the Palestinian territory.
The documentary derives its title directly from a Hebrew intelligence term. Within military communication, the euphemistic codeword is utilized to specify the projected number of civilian deaths expected to occur during a designated aerial strike.
At the center of the film's revelations is an artificial intelligence-driven platform known internally as "Lavender." According to whistleblowers featured in the documentary, the system systematically processed data gathered from Gaza’s monitored telecommunications networks—including telephone conversations, daily movement patterns, and interpersonal connections—to automatically compile lists of individuals marked for assassination.
To construct the narrative, the filmmakers secured testimonies from Israeli military and intelligence personnel who agreed to participate exclusively under conditions of strict anonymity. The interviewees were filmed under the cover of night atop rooftops in Tel Aviv, with their facial features and voices digitally altered to shield their identities from potential retribution.
In their on-camera accounts, former insiders described the targeting apparatus in unsettling terms. One source likened the automated workflow to an assembly line, characterizing the mass-scale process as functioning "like a factory." Another whistleblower involved in processing prospective targets remarked on the emotional detachment created by technology, describing the remote procedures as feeling "like a video game" that was "insanely fun."
The testimony featured in *NAZA* further sheds light on an operational environment marked by broad contempt for international humanitarian law and widespread hostility toward the Palestinian populace. Informants admitted that intelligence officers were acutely aware that residential buildings flagged for demolition were actively inhabited by families at the moments of attack.
Speaking to the AFP news agency regarding the motivations behind the documentary, Abraham explained that the production team sought to directly document the mechanics of warfare from the perspective of those who executed it. He noted that the primary goal was to hear detailed accounts from soldiers and officers about how the lethal systems operating in Gaza were designed and managed.
In an essay published jointly in *+972 Magazine*, the directors outlined the overarching findings of their reporting. Abraham and Szor stated that the widespread destruction and immense loss of non-combatant life in Gaza could not be dismissed as an accidental byproduct of clashes with Hamas, concluding instead that it represented a calculated and premeditated course of action.
Beyond documenting operational practices, Abraham issued a direct plea to the international community, arguing that foreign powers must reconsider their diplomatic and military support. He asserted that Western governments need to exert meaningful leverage through economic sanctions, warning that continued unconditional backing undermines local advocates and activists working toward a political resolution and human rights inside Israel and Palestine.
The documentary was produced by British filmmaker Jim Wilson in collaboration with *The Guardian*, featuring Jonathan Glazer as executive producer. Wilson and Glazer previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed historical drama *The Zone of Interest*, which secured the Academy Award for Best International Feature in 2024.
Early critical reviews for *NAZA* have underscored the visceral impact of the expose. Trade publication *Screen International* hailed the project as an "urgent, gut-punch," while *The Hollywood Reporter* observed that the documentary elicits deep indignation, outrage, and profound disgust toward the conduct of the Israeli leadership.
The festival premiere arrives amid staggering casualties reported in the ongoing war. Data from the Ministry of Health in Gaza indicates that approximately 73,500 Palestinians have been killed and an additional 174,500 wounded since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023. Throughout the conflict, foreign correspondents have remained largely prohibited from entering Gaza independently, restricted only to tightly supervised visits embedded with Israeli forces.
The rapturous reception for *NAZA* in Venice mirrors the response garnered during the prior festival cycle. Last year's edition showcased *The Voice of Hind Rajab*, which commanded a 23-minute standing ovation before ultimately securing the festival's prestigious second prize. The 83rd Venice Film Festival is scheduled to conclude its official proceedings this Saturday.
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