IDF Rejects 'Distorted' Gaza Collateral Damage Film

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued a strong rebuttal to the documentary film 'Collateral Damage' (Nez'a), released nearly a month ago, calling it a "distorted, misleading, and unrealistic picture" of its operations in Gaza. The military asserts that the film's narrative is based on significant factual errors stemming from a misrepresented and manipulative presentation.

In its detailed response, the IDF addressed several key claims made in the film. It emphasized that IDF directives clearly distinguish between combatants and uninvolved civilians in Gaza, prohibiting attacks on civilians and mandating the minimization of harm to them. The military denied ever planning or executing an attack expected to kill 500 civilians, or any number close to that, and stated that no such claim has ever been seriously made against the IDF. The IDF also clarified that artificial intelligence has never independently selected targets for attack; this process is solely conducted by qualified intelligence officers, relevant professionals, and operational commanders.

Furthermore, the IDF refuted the film's assertion that automatic approval is given for attacks on targets endangering a predetermined number of civilians, such as 20 for a junior operative or 200 for a senior commander. The military explained that 'Lavender,' a system mentioned in the film, is a database assisting intelligence researchers, not an approved target list. The IDF also stated that evacuation warnings do not grant permission to disregard the presence of civilians remaining in an area during an attack.

Concluding its points, the IDF affirmed that it does not ignore the consequences of its attacks but actively investigates them, including unintentional harm to civilians, contrary to the film's claims. These investigations lead to inquiries into hundreds of incidents and inform lessons learned. The IDF accused the filmmakers of distorting reality and manipulating interviews, suggesting that proper fact-checking and source verification would have revealed the film's inaccuracies. The military also criticized the filmmakers for not presenting the full scope of target planning, which involves legal advisors and commanders, and for omitting crucial context about the war, Hamas's tactics, and the IDF's extensive efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

The film, which features testimonies from 24 soldiers allegedly from Unit 8200, discusses the IDF's actions during the war, including claims of involvement in "war crimes and genocide" and descriptions of collateral damage policies, shelling, and assassinations. A central theme is the alleged use of AI in recommending targets based on phone surveillance, even when civilian family members were expected to be killed.