‘Blood libel’: Israeli politicians assail Israeli film on AI-powered killing in Gaza

The Israeli military has rejected allegations made in a new documentary called "NAZA," which alleges the use of AI-powered systems for mass killing of civilians in Gaza. "NAZA" is a 80-minute film directed by Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, using interviews with 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who requested their identities be protected.

The military argues that the identities of the whistleblowers cannot be verified, and the allegations go beyond the knowledge of junior-level soldiers. The documentary claims the existence of an AI system called "Lavender," which uses data from mass surveillance of Gaza to identify targets for assassination. The Israeli military denies these claims, stating that decisions regarding strike selection and approval are made by human personnel only, and that they target terrorist organizations such as Hamas in accordance with international law and armed conflict laws.

They also claim to make "unprecedented efforts to minimize harm to civilians." Since October 2023, at least 73,658 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza, according to Hamas-run health ministry figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.