The Israeli documentary "NAZA" opened in U.S. theaters on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, featuring interviews with Israeli military insiders who describe the use of artificial intelligence in targeting operations in Gaza. The film, which takes its name from the Hebrew acronym for collateral damage, has prompted responses from the Israeli government and sparked discussions regarding U.S. military aid to Israel ahead of congressional elections.
The documentary follows the directors' previous film, "No Other Land," which depiction of Palestinian life in the West Bank won an Oscar. "NAZA" relies on anonymous interviews conducted with confidential sources between 2023 and 2025, in a collaboration between filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, +972 Magazine, Local Call, and The Guardian. The Israeli military has issued a rebuttal, stating that their orders distinguish between militants and civilians and that strike decisions are finalized by officers rather than autonomous systems.
In the film, subjects describe using AI tools to create a database of suspected militants and identifying buildings for strikes. One interviewee alleged that an operation targeting a single militant was approved despite an anticipated 500 civilian deaths, a specific claim the Israeli military denied. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the film as antisemitic, and a Cabinet minister suggested the filmmakers could be stripped of their citizenship. At a New York premiere, protesters displayed images of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, which Abraham acknowledged as a "massacre" while stating it did not justify the subsequent civilian deaths in Gaza.
The documentary focuses on technology and military protocols affecting the residents of Gaza and citizens of Israel. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the war has resulted in the deaths of over 74,000 Palestinians, including 1,400 since a ceasefire began one year ago. The ministry reports that women and children comprise roughly half of those killed. The film also highlights the scale of international involvement, citing an academic study that found the U.S. provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel during the first two years of the conflict.
The film presents testimony regarding how American-funded munitions and technology, including AI models from U.S. companies like Microsoft, were utilized in combat. These themes have appeared in political debates surrounding the November congressional elections. In Israel, where national elections are scheduled for the end of October 2026, the film has faced criticism from government officials who maintain that the military strives to minimize civilian harm "to the greatest extent feasible." The documentary suggests that the precedent set by AI-assisted warfare could influence future global military standards and the regulation of technology exports.
The film is currently showing at New York’s IFC Center and is scheduled to open in Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle on Oct. 9, 2026. Following its theatrical run, "NAZA" will be released for free streaming on The Guardian’s website in late November 2026. While the Israeli military has threatened to identify the anonymous soldiers featured in the film, the Committee to Protect Journalists and over 2,000 supporters, including other filmmakers, have signed petitions supporting the directors. Domestic ticket sales for the directors' previous self-distributed film reached $2.5 million.