IDC Accuses 'NAZA' Documentary of 'Distorted' Depiction of Gaza Targeting

The Israel Defense Forces has accused the documentary "NAZA" of presenting "a distorted, misleading and disingenuous picture of the IDF's target planning and striking process." The statement, issued after the film's premiere at the Venice Film Festival last month, claims the film's narrative "is based on substantial factual errors stemming from manipulative misrepresentations of reality."

Directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, "NAZA" received a 24.5-minute standing ovation at Venice. It has since screened at the San Sebastián and New York film festivals. The film opens in U.S. theaters next week and will stream for free on The Guardian's website in late November. The British newspaper is a co-producer.

The film takes its title from the Hebrew phrase "Nezek Agavi," meaning "collateral damage." All 24 contributors appear anonymously, filmed against a nighttime skyline in Tel Aviv.

The IDF said it did not view the documentary before its premiere and claimed the directors never put the film's allegations to the military before publishing. Among its counter-claims, the IDF said it operates under binding directives that "explicitly" distinguish between military operatives and uninvolved citizens. It denied it has ever planned or carried out a strike in Gaza that killed 500 civilians, a figure one anonymous contributor alleges in the film. It also denied using AI to select targets, saying strikes are planned only by "relevant professionals."

The IDF added that "it is apparent that in various cases interviewees raise speculation and assumptions without a factual basis." The statement also accused the filmmakers of omitting crucial context, including the full chain of command with roles dedicated to "mitigating civilian harm," and of playing down the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, in which over 1,000 people were killed and more than 250 hostages taken.

Responding on behalf of the filmmakers, a spokesperson for Guardian News & Media told Variety: "The IDF's attempt to portray the 24 participants in 'NAZA' as junior-ranking officers involved only in the early stages of the targeting process is false. They include officers and soldiers who were involved in multiple stages of the targeting process in Gaza, including intelligence, operations and the final authorization process."

The Guardian defended its verification methods. "The process of assessing the credibility of the testimonies was rigorous," the spokesperson said. "It included leaked classified documents, detailed verification of specific strikes and corroboration via a wider pool of confidential journalistic sources who did not appear on camera in the film. Over the past three years we have together interviewed more than 100 sources familiar with IDF systems used in the war in Gaza, including senior-ranking commanders directly involved in the authorization of strikes."

The statement concluded: "The Guardian stands fully behind the film, which builds on three years of detailed reporting by the Guardian and our partners. Several highly respected news organizations have subsequently confirmed the IDF's use of AI-driven systems in the Gaza offensive and the loosening of safeguards to protect civilians, including the New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press."

The dispute now moves into public view as "NAZA" reaches its widest audiences. The free streaming release on The Guardian's website in late November will place the film, and the IDF's rebuttal, before a global readership just as U.S. theatrical screenings begin.