Documentary 'NAZA' Exposes IDF's Systematic Targeting of Civilians in Gaza
The documentary "NAZA," directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features interviews with two dozen IDF intelligence officers who detail the deliberate killing of civilians in Gaza since October 7. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, draws parallels to historical atrocities and serves as a crucial act of bearing witness. It is produced by The Guardian with Jonathan Glazer as executive producer.
The 80-minute documentary, premiering in Venice's competition, was produced by The Guardian with Jonathan Glazer as executive producer. Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor conducted 24 interviews with IDF officers on Tel Aviv rooftops, using visual effects to conceal identities and handwriting.
The title derives from an intelligence acronym for collateral damage, marking targets alongside innocent civilians. Officers describe a "factory of targets" utilizing AI, drones, and phone tracking, often striking at night. The film explicitly parallels Claude Lanzmann's *Shoah*, focusing on perpetrators, and includes an officer questioning his own morality after visiting concentration camps.
The documentary could significantly influence international discourse on the Gaza conflict, potentially prompting renewed scrutiny of military protocols. Within Israeli society, it may deepen existing rifts over the war's conduct. For historians and journalists, the perpetrator testimony could serve as a crucial primary source, though its impact may be constrained by polarized media ecosystems and political resistance to the film's conclusions.