Gaza documentary sparks 'treason' uproar in Israel

Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor created the documentary NAZA, which alleges systematic mass civilian killings by the Israeli army in Gaza. The film, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival, has sparked outrage in Israel. Critics argue it is an act of treason and demand a secret service investigation into both the filmmakers and the IDF soldiers who provided testimony.

NAZA's title comes from an Israeli military acronym for "collateral damage," and it explores an AI-assisted system used to identify targets using data from hacked mobile phones. Despite international acclaim, NAZA has not been publicly released in any country. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened legislation against the defamation of IDF soldiers and pledged to revoke citizenship from anyone who insults them.

The filmmakers have since left Israel, with Abraham deleting his social media accounts due to the intense backlash. The Committee to Protect Journalists criticized Netanyahu's actions as a dangerous escalation in official efforts to intimidate and punish journalists.