Israeli Director Defends Controversial Gaza War Film After Venice Win

Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abramov, co-director of the documentary "Nez'a" (Collateral Damage), has addressed the controversy surrounding his film, which won an award at the Venice Film Festival and sparked outrage in Israel. Abramov stated that his primary goal is for Israelis to see and hear the testimonies of soldiers and intelligence officers featured in the film, which presents difficult claims about the IDF's conduct during the Gaza war.

"The important thing for me is the testimonies of the soldiers and officers who speak in the film," Abramov said in a message to the Israeli public. "They speak in Hebrew because they want to reach the Israeli public. They want people at home to hear what they did in Gaza. Because it is important for our society to look at the actions in Gaza and listen to the soldiers in the film."

The film "Nez'a," an acronym for "Nezek Agabi" (Collateral Damage), is based on interviews with 24 Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers. It alleges problematic conduct, target selection, and civilian harm during the conflict. Abramov and his co-director, Rachel Shour, criticized Israel at the festival's press conference, with Abramov accusing much of the Israeli media of ignoring or justifying events in Gaza.

Abramov also drew parallels to the Holocaust, emphasizing the universal lesson of "never again" meaning all human lives are sacred, including those of Palestinians in Gaza. He clarified he was not equating the current situation with the Holocaust but was speaking about what he perceives as dehumanization mechanisms.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a strong rejection of the film's claims, stating, "The IDF completely rejects the claims." The military asserted that the film relies on anonymous testimonies that cannot be verified regarding the sources' service, roles, or knowledge of the events they describe. The IDF reiterated its commitment to international law, targeting Hamas, and minimizing civilian harm, adding that all strike decisions are made by humans, not AI.