NAZA, a chilling documentary directed by Israeli filmmakers Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham and produced by, examines the systematic mass slaughter authorized at the highest levels of the Israeli government. The film focuses on the mechanical process and the individuals within the chain of command who facilitate these operations. Szor and Abraham, who previously won an Oscar for their 2024 documentary No Other Land—which spotlighted Palestinian resistance in the occupied West Bank—debuted NAZA at the Venice Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion.
The Human and Systematic Cost
The Gaza health ministry has reported more than 73,000 deaths over three years of Israeli bombardment, with the vast majority being civilian casualties. While NAZA briefly depicts the physical devastation, rubble, and grieving families in Gaza, its primary setting is the placid, everyday environment of Tel Aviv, located just 44 miles away. In this city, rush-hour traffic continues as normal, and local cinemas host retrospectives, creating a jarring contrast to the industrial business of murder occurring remotely.
The Mechanics of Remote Warfare
The film exposes a system designed to distance perpetrators from their actions. Many intelligence officers operate from Tel Aviv, where artificial intelligence selects targets and drones execute the strikes. The language used within these units is described as euphemistic and obfuscatory. Abraham notes that the process is designed to be efficient, yet intelligence officers remain acutely aware of the reality of their actions. “Sure, it’s easier to kill people when you’re doing it on a screen,” Abraham says. “But equally it should be said that intelligence officers know the most. They listen to the cellphones. They know the house they are bombing is full of children. They can hear babies crying. They still proceed.”
Motivations of the Insiders
- The film is built around the accounts of 24 anonymized military and intelligence insiders.
- One source claims that approval was granted to kill 500 Gazans to eliminate a single Hamas member.
- When asked if these sources feel shame, Abraham responds, “Well, it depends which one. There are many motivations for an individual to speak. Some people talk because they feel the opposite of shame. They feel pride in their accomplishment and expertise.”
- The status of these sources varies; some discuss their work in the past tense, while others may still be actively overseeing nightly airstrikes.
Professional and Personal Risks
In the current climate of post-7 October Israel, the filmmakers face significant backlash. Abraham, who has been vocal about his work, saw his family home targeted by a rightwing mob following the premiere of No Other Land at the 2024 Berlin Film Festival. Szor, who prefers to remain behind the camera, notes that her own family members have expressed anger and shame regarding her professional choices. Despite these risks, the pair continues their investigative work, which Variety has described as a “devastating exposé” of systematic mass slaughter and The Hollywood Reporter has labeled a “bombshell” likely to provoke profound outrage regarding the current Israeli regime and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Official Response
The Israeli military has issued a formal response to the documentary, stating that it “categorically rejects” the allegations presented in the film. The IDF criticized the use of anonymous testimonies, asserting that the claims “cannot be verified.” In a statement provided to, the IDF maintained that it “makes unprecedented efforts to minimise harm to civilians” during its offensive in Gaza. Despite this, the filmmakers maintain that their work is essential for documenting the reality of the conflict, noting that their previous project, No Other Land, also served to document what they characterize as horrible crimes. The report also notes that nAZA, we learn, is an acronym used by the intelligence service to indicate how many civilians it expects to die in an airstrike on Gaza. The report also notes that or in heavily populated neighbourhoods, too bad, the Israel Defense Forces prefer to target Hamas terrorists in their homes at night – and if they live with their family. The report also notes that “But at the same time it gave people … I don’t want to say hope, but some light to latch on to. The report also notes that it’s not a coincidence that this film is all in the dark. The report also notes that we are in a very dark place right now.”. The report also notes that though, is placid, normal Tel Aviv, just 44 miles to the north, where rush-hour traffic drifts dreamily on the street and the cinematheque is showing a Claude Lanzmann retrospective, its main backdrop. The report also notes that tellingly, the film was executive produced by Jonathan Glazer, the director of The Zone of Interest. The report also notes that says Szor, who advised on the structure and creative approach, fostering the sense of a home that sits next door to a hell, it was Glazer.
