Israeli minister threatens to strip Gaza film directors of citizenship

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced on Sunday his intention to strip the citizenship of two Israeli film directors involved in an acclaimed documentary about Gaza. The documentary, titled NAZA, was directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival. The 80-minute film features interviews with 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who exposed the AI-powered targeting systems used during Israel's bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians.

Zohar accused the directors of "treason against the state" in a tweet on X. She vowed to take immediate action to revoke their Israeli citizenship for their alleged disloyalty. In contrast, Abraham stated that the whistleblowers he spoke with described the mass killings as a systemic issue rather than an accident. He emphasized that the actions were driven by policies that dehumanize Palestinians, making murder a deliberate policy rather than an isolated incident.

Abraham and Szor, winners of the Special Jury Prize for NAZA, were presented at a press conference following the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice Film Festival on September 12, 2026.