IDF Rejects 'NAZA' Film's Genocide Claims, Cites Data Distortion

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued its first detailed response to accusations presented in the documentary film "NAZA," which alleged that Israel committed genocide during the war in Gaza. The IDF stated that the filmmakers did not provide them with advance notice of the claims or allow them to view the film beforehand. After reviewing the documentary, the military prepared a comprehensive analysis refuting several key assertions.

Specifically, the IDF rejected claims that civilian casualties in some strikes outnumbered combatants by ratios as high as 500 to 1, or that strikes on senior Hamas officials involved ratios of 200 to 1, and on junior commanders, 20 to 1. The military also denied that artificial intelligence independently selects targets or determines acceptable civilian casualty numbers, asserting that final decisions are always made by humans.

The IDF explained that intelligence analysts identify potential targets, specialists plan strikes, and operational commanders grant final approval. The military clarified that the "Lavender" program is not a pre-approved target list but a database assisting intelligence analysts. The IDF also addressed the testimonies of 24 former and current military intelligence personnel featured in the film, stating these individuals were involved only in an intermediate stage of identifying potential targets and did not make final strike decisions.

According to the IDF, the full process involves legal advisors, civilian risk reduction specialists, and commanders who can alter or cancel operations even at the last minute. The military also noted that it has opened over 150 criminal investigations and more than 3,000 disciplinary reviews against soldiers during the war. However, the IDF has not yet released official figures on the actual ratio of combatant to civilian deaths in Gaza, leaving questions about the scale of civilian losses unanswered, according to The Jerusalem Post.