Netanyahu Orders Prosecution of 24 Israeli Soldiers Over Gaza Documentary "Naza"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the prosecution of 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers who gave anonymous testimony for the documentary "Naza," a film that describes mass civilian killings in Gaza [260477][260013]. Netanyahu accused those involved of "serious crimes against information security, criminal defamation and harm to the country's diplomatic interests" and sent his request to the Israeli army chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet internal security service, and the attorney general [260013][260957].

The documentary, directed by Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by The Guardian, documents Israel's mass killing of civilians in Gaza [260477]. It takes its name from the acronym used by Israeli intelligence to estimate how many civilians could die in an attack — for example, "20 NAZA" [260013]. The film is based on testimony from 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel who described the army's use of artificial intelligence in targeted killings and military operations in Gaza [260957][260392].

The soldiers said the army bombed areas under evacuation orders in Gaza while knowing civilians were still there [260013]. The documentary also covers the use of AI models that predict — based on phone call patterns and with a 15 percent error rate — the probability that a Gazan is a militant, creating a list of possible targets [260013]. Much of the film is based on investigations since 2023 by Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, the film's co-director, published in the Israeli-Palestinian magazine +972 and The Guardian [260013].

The Israeli army says its rules prohibit deliberately attacking civilians and require commanders to take steps to reduce harm to civilians. It also says final decisions on attacks and assessments of civilian risk rest with officers [260013]. The Guardian defended the investigation on October 2, saying it had consulted more than 100 sources over three years who knew about the Israeli military systems used in the war, including senior commanders involved in authorizing attacks. It also said it checked the testimonies against leaked classified documents and by verifying specific operations [260013].

The order to prosecute suggests the soldiers may face legal action for speaking publicly about their service [260957]. It is not yet clear which soldiers are under scrutiny or what specific acts are being investigated. No charges have been filed [259852].

In a new turn, Israeli embassies are now being used to spread a counter-film called "Naza. The real story," while a wave of hate grows against the film's directors [262405]. The documentary has won praise from festivals and critics, but its directors say they are afraid to return to Israel. "It would be dangerous for us to walk down a street in Israel right now," Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham said [261183]. In September, Israel's culture minister asked for the citizenship of the documentary's authors to be revoked. The film was awarded at the Venice Film Festival [260013].

"Naza" is currently showing in cinemas across the United Kingdom and the United States and will screen in more than 50 countries [260477].