Hamas Calls on ICC to Use "Nezar" Film Evidence Amid Israeli Failures

Hamas has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to utilize evidence presented in the film "Nezar," which recently won an award at the Venice Film Festival and has sparked controversy in Israel. The terror group urged the court to incorporate testimonies allegedly from 24 members of Unit 8200, an Israeli intelligence unit, into its ongoing investigations into the war in Gaza. Hamas stated that the film should not merely be viewed but should serve as further motivation for justice for the victims, ensuring those responsible for war crimes and genocide face consequences.

The group also welcomed the film's reception at Venice, noting the prolonged applause as a reflection of the impact of the testimonies and the role of documentary filmmaking in exposing facts and countering Israeli denial. Hamas believes this underscores the importance of investigations in bringing the suffering of victims to global attention.

In contrast, Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi dismissed the film as baseless, alleging it is built on fabricated stories, deliberate distortion of reality, and false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders. He characterized the film as an anti-Israel effort that adopts narratives of Israel's enemies, defames Israeli forces, and aims to delegitimize Israel's right to self-defense, thereby endangering its soldiers.

Meanwhile, reports indicate significant delays by Israel in addressing the film's release. The Israeli Embassy in Rome reportedly warned the Foreign Ministry a month prior about the film's participation in the Venice festival and attempted to exert influence through contacts and lawyers to prevent its screening or at least balance its narrative, but these efforts were rejected. Furthermore, Israeli authorities, across all branches, failed to obtain a copy or transcript of the film. The IDF Spokesperson's office was reportedly first exposed to the film's content after an Israeli embassy cultural representative attended a screening and provided a report. The IDF Spokesperson has since requested a copy from the filmmakers, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore, to respond to the allegations.

A senior Israeli public diplomacy official suggested the request for a copy was intended to highlight that the filmmakers, who desire the film's screening in Israel, had not provided a copy to Israel or sought an official response. The article also provides context on the ongoing legal proceedings at The Hague, including South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the ICC's case concerning arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which is currently frozen. South Africa's case, it is noted, has been built on statements from various Israeli figures, including politicians, soldiers, and public figures, and is expected to continue for many years.

The film "Nezar" is a production of The Guardian, featuring testimonies from 24 soldiers from Unit 8200 about IDF operations during the Gaza war. The Guardian responded to the Israeli reactions, stating they are concerned by the "oppressive response" in Israel and defending Abraham and Shore as courageous journalists. The newspaper asserted that "Nezar" is based on over three years of journalistic investigation, that the testimonies are authentic, and that they will vigorously defend the film and its team against censorship attempts.