Israeli leaders from across the spectrum are up in arms at the latest attempt to promote the genocide libel internationally against the Jewish state. This time, it comes from Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor who came out with a documentary, NAZA (Hebrew acronym for collateral damage), filled with sweeping allegations that Israel carried out a systematic, industrial-scale mass killing in Gaza, with AI-assisted targeting to cause mass civilian casualties. The documentary won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival last week.
The filmmakers made their case with the testimony of 24 anonymous people, shown with voices altered and faces blurred, purported to have served in Unit 8200, the IDF’s largest unit, which intercepts and analyzes communications and other intelligence but without a role in determining military strategy or authorizing strikes. There is no way to verify their identity, or what jobs they held, or whether they even had access to the decisions they describe. Some appear to have been junior soldiers with no knowledge of national strategy, while others discuss matters that are completely outside Unit 8200’s role.
The IDF categorically rejected the film’s claims, including its most dramatic allegation–featured in its promotional video — that Israel had planned a strike, anticipating the deaths of 500 civilians. The claim is also unsupported by the casualty record, including even Hamas figures, none of which identifies any Israeli strike that killed 500 people. The IDF also rejected the film’s portrayal of artificial intelligence, noting that decisions selecting and approving strikes are made by human personnel and remain subject to legal review.
Condemnation of the film has come from across the political spectrum with politicians both from the governing coalition and the opposition denouncing the film as a distortion of reality and a blood libel. Prime Minister Netanyahu released a video statement calling the film “shocking,” “intolerable,” and part of a wave of “global antisemitic incitement” coming from within Israel. Culture Minister Miki Zoharlabeled the film “vile” and accused the directors of “treason against the state,” called for revoking their Israeli citizenship. Likud Knesset member Tally Gotliv dismissed the documentary as “a complete fabrication by Israel’s internal enemies.” The leader of the centrist Yashar party and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said that the documentary presented a “distorted” picture, demonstrating “moral blindness” and a “detachment from reality,” Former defense minister and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz countered the filmmakers’ claims by stating that the army holds “itself to the highest moral and legal standard.” Former prime minister Naftali Bennett called the film a “horrific blood libel against our sons and daughters.”
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir noted that rather than legitimate criticism, NAZA adopted the narratives of Israel’s enemies and falsely portrayed the IDF as deliberately acting unlawfully. He claimed it is a work based on “blood libels, deliberate distortion of reality, and false and serious accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders” and ordered military lawyers to examine possible legal action against the film and those involved and to investigate whether classified intelligence had been improperly disclosed during production. He established a multi-agency team to counter false accusations that could endanger Israeli soldiers and commanders. The IDF has so far seen only publicly released portions of the film and has asked the filmmakers to provide the complete documentary so that it can respond to each allegation on the facts.
“A NAZA Blood Libel,” by Amit Segal, It’s Noon in Israel, Sept. 14, 2026
“‘Blood libel’: Israeli politicians assail Israeli film alleging AI-powered killing in Gaza,” by Michael Horovitz, The Times of Israel, Sept. 14, 2026
“IDF chief Eyal Zamir orders legal review of ‘NAZA’ Gaza war film over ‘blood libels,’” by Asher Smith, The Jerusalem Post, Sept. 14, 2026
“Netanyahu rivals accuse ‘NAZA’ film of ‘horrific blood libel,’ say filmmakers ‘enemies of Israel,’” by Ben Kroll, Haaretz, Sept. 14, 2026
“‘Nothing in the film is true’: MKs, politicians denounce NAZA film creators as ‘Israel haters,’” by Shir Perets, The Jerusalem Post, Sept. 14, 2026
“IDF chief floats legal action against ‘NAZA’ film, orders probe of leaked material,” by Emanuel Fabian, The Times of Israel, Sept. 14, 2026
