Hostage Survivor Eliya Cohen Slams Filmmakers Behind 'NAZA' Documentary

Eliya Cohen, a former Israeli hostage held in Gaza, has vehemently denounced the Israeli filmmakers behind the documentary 'NAZA,' calling for public action against them. In a video shared on his Instagram, Cohen expressed outrage over the film, which he claims falsely accuses Israeli soldiers of war crimes in Gaza.

Cohen urged Israelis to take to the streets and publicly shame the filmmakers, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor. "We need to go out into the streets and spread their pictures so that when they walk down the street they feel ashamed, people should spit on them!" Cohen stated, emphasizing that the filmmakers should not be allowed to live normally in Israel after producing a film he considers a blood libel against soldiers.

He further asserted that the filmmakers bear responsibility for the blood of fallen soldiers and diaspora Jews, stating, "The blood of our friends, of diaspora Jews, is on their hands." Cohen described the situation as "driving me crazy" and called for immediate action, expressing gratitude for messages from followers willing to mobilize.

The controversy surrounds the film 'NAZA,' which recently won a special jury prize at the 83rd Venice Film Festival. The documentary, produced by The Guardian and JW Films, is an 80-minute film based on anonymous testimonies from 24 Israelis. It alleges a "calculated mass murder of Palestinian civilians in Gaza" by Israel, framing it as a systematic process behind the "mass killing" of Palestinians.

The film's official synopsis at the Venice festival claims it exposes the systems behind what it defines as Israel's "calculated mass murder of Palestinian civilians in Gaza." Despite the award, 'NAZA' did not win the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion, which went to 'Woman Unknown.'