NAZA makers cite 100 sources as IDF disputes Gaza film
The makers of NAZA say they spoke to more than 100 sources with knowledge of Israeli military systems used in the war in Gaza. They disclosed the figure in response to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces that sought to discredit the documentary, The Guardian reported on 1 October 2026. The film examines Israeli targeting policy and its alleged acceptance of high civilian deaths.
NAZA takes its title from a military acronym used by Israeli intelligence to indicate the number of civilians expected to be killed in an airstrike, according to the same report. It was directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by The Guardian. The documentary was presented at the Venice Film Festival, Reuters reported, and has been described as an award-winning film featuring anonymous military sources, France 24 reported.
The IDF said the film contains substantial errors and relies on interviews with two dozen intelligence and other troops who had only a partial picture of the target approval process. In a separate response, the IDF said the film “presents a distorted, misleading, and disingenuous picture of its target planning and striking process”, IDF said. It has also claimed the film relies on anonymous testimonies from individuals whose identity cannot be verified, IDF said.
The IDF said its rules of engagement distinguish between militants and civilians and prohibit deliberately targeting civilians. It said commanders are required to take steps to minimise civilian harm. It acknowledged using artificial intelligence to help recommend potential targets in Gaza, but said final decisions on strikes and the risk of civilian casualties were signed off by officers.
It specifically denied that it had approved, planned or carried out an attack anticipating 500 civilian casualties in pursuit of a single Hamas target. That allegation had been linked to the film’s account of targeting decisions. The denial was included in the IDF response to the documentary.
Responding to the IDF, a spokesperson for the film said the portrayal of the 24 on-camera participants as junior-ranking officers involved only in early stages of targeting is false. The spokesperson said those participants include officers and soldiers involved in multiple stages of targeting in Gaza, including intelligence, operations and the final authorisation process. Verification included leaked classified documents, detailed checks of specific strikes, and corroboration through a wider pool of confidential journalistic sources who did not appear on camera, built over three years of interviews with more than 100 sources.
The film has drawn sharp political reaction in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the documentary as “shocking incitement”, Reuters reported. He also called for Abraham and Szor to be stripped of their Israeli citizenship.
