Israeli Documentary on Gaza War Tactics Wins Venice Film Festival Award

The documentary film 'N.Z.A.' (Accidental Damage), by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, has been awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice Film Festival. The film features testimonies from 24 soldiers of Unit 8200, an elite intelligence unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), detailing IDF operations in Gaza during the recent conflict. Filmed in Tel Aviv during the war, the documentary includes interviews with soldiers who claim involvement in 'war crimes and genocide' and describe a policy of 'accidental damage,' extensive shelling, and targeted assassinations.

A central theme explored is the alleged use of artificial intelligence by the IDF to recommend targets for elimination, even when such strikes could result in civilian casualties, including family members of the target. The filmmakers, whose previous documentary 'No Other Land' won an Oscar, assert that these actions represent a deliberate policy of destruction, amplified by AI. Abraham stated on stage, 'The reality is that since this festival began, just in these ten days, Israel has killed at least six Palestinian children in Gaza... The Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with told us how this mass killing is systematic, not by mistake, but by design. Acts of killing and policies based on the complete dehumanization of Palestinians.'

Abraham also criticized Israeli politicians and journalists for attacking the film without seeing it and called for international viewers, particularly in Europe and the US, to watch the documentary, citing the need to pressure governments that support Israel's actions. He highlighted the deaths of over 200 Palestinian journalists in Gaza and the importance of acknowledging these events to prevent their continuation.

The IDF has vehemently denied the film's claims, issuing a statement that the documentary relies on anonymous testimonies from individuals whose service and roles cannot be verified. The IDF asserted that claims about national and military strategy are beyond the knowledge of junior soldiers and that legal terms are misused. The military reiterated its commitment to international law in Gaza, targeting Hamas while taking unprecedented measures to minimize civilian harm, and stated that all individual suspicions of violations are investigated. The IDF also clarified that decisions regarding strikes are made solely by human personnel, not AI.

The Venice Film Festival featured several politically charged films this year, addressing themes of war, migration, climate change, and human rights. The festival's main competition, the Golden Lion, was awarded to 'An Unknown Woman' by Danish-Egyptian director May el-Toukhy, which explores the complex history of Danish women who collaborated with the Nazis.