Controversy has already begun, and it will increase significantly once this film, NAZA, produced by two Israeli journalists, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, becomes available to watch for free online at the end of November 2026. It has already screened at the Venice Film Festival, with the audience giving it a 25-minute standing ovation. It also received the Special Jury Prize, the festival’s third-highest honor.
In a rare move, The Guardian, which produced the documentary, said it will make NAZA available much earlier than expected because of worldwide interest, and it is committed to “fearless and independent journalism”.
What is NAZA about?
First, by way of definition, NAZA is an acronym used by the Israeli military and intelligence to point to the collateral damage, to describe the estimated or possible harm that can come to civilians during a military strike on a predetermined target (terrorist). What does that mean practically? According to the Washington Post, if an operation is named “20 NAZA,” it means that military commanders have the right to allow for the deaths of up to 20 civilians in order to target and eliminate a single terrorist. This is the AI-powered targeting system that The Guardian claims the IDF employs to decide which targets and how much collateral damage is allowed (ie death of civilians). It often prioritizes targets based on their importance. In this documentary, The Guardian makes many allegations against the IDF, such as authorizing mass NAZA or collateral damage, up to 500 civilians killed, in order to target just one Hamas terrorist. They claim that many of these deliberate attacks were made on family units and homes, knowing well in advance that these apartment buildings are full of families, children, and infants.
At the center of it all are 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel whom Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor interviewed between 2023 and 2025. The interviews were secretly shot at night on Tel Aviv rooftops. The soldiers’ faces are obscured, and their voices are altered to keep anonymity.
There is no question that war causes terrifying collateral damage, but we want to question professional journalism’s approach in this documentary. We look to the Word of God, which gives us good advice: Proverbs 18:17 says, In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
What does Israel say in response? What will we say when people ask us about the fairness of this film NAZA and its accusations? What do the media critics say?
Of the 24 individuals who claim to be IDF soldiers (insiders) (we don’t know who they are, as their identities are shielded), no corroborating evidence supports their claims. No soldier verified another soldier’s account or testimony. The report lacks specific dates, time frames, or locations for where these accusations occurred, making objective outside verification virtually impossible. Another journalistic rule was broken: before the documentary went public, the IDF was not given a chance to respond to the accusations and testimonies. A serious investigative report typically allows the accused to review it and respond before it airs.
Hebrew-speaking journalists noted that the English subtitles did not accurately match the soldiers’ statements. They claim the subtitles exaggerate or even alter phrasing to make the narrative sound more severe. Another important criticism is the fact that, in the entire film, there is no mention of the preceding events, the actions of Hamas, or the Israeli hostages taken to Gaza.
We must be very careful in our analysis of this film, which we can only assume will bring louder cries of “genocide “ from many, and can cause those who sit on the fence to jump off in a direction against Israel.
NAZA was first to state its case, but we must hear the rebuttal. Let’s hear the IDF’s statements and counterarguments on how it uses AI-powered tools for military intelligence. Let us not form an unshakeable judgment through the single lens of NAZA, but seek a balanced truth. We live in controversial days with rising antisemitism at our heels. We remember most of all to stand on the Words of Torah and the God of Israel.
Ezekiel 36:22-25: “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols”‘”.
Let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem
Isaiah 24:21-22: “Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you.”