IDF Responds to 'NAZA' Film, Denouncing 'Deliberate Falsification'

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a comprehensive response on October 1st to the film "NAZA," accusing its creators of presenting a "distorted, misleading, and unrealistic picture" of its targeting processes. The IDF stated the film's narrative is based on "significant factual errors" stemming from "distorted and manipulative presentation." The military asserted that its mandatory directives clearly distinguish between combatants and civilians, prohibit intentional strikes against non-combatants, and require minimizing harm to civilians.

The IDF explicitly denied ever planning, approving, or carrying out strikes in Gaza that were expected to result in the deaths of 500 civilians or a similar number. It also refuted claims that artificial intelligence independently selects targets, emphasizing that target identification is done by authorized intelligence officers, planning by specialists, and final decisions by commanders. The military clarified that directives do not grant automatic permission for strikes risking a fixed number of civilians, and that the "Lavender" system is a database aiding intelligence analysts, not an approved target list.

Furthermore, the IDF stated that evacuation warnings are not considered permission to strike, and that it does assess the consequences of its strikes, including unintentional harm to civilians, which informs reviews and lessons learned. The military suggested that proper fact-checking by the film's creators would have revealed the alleged errors.

The IDF criticized the film's interviewees, often presented as former intelligence personnel, for discussing only limited initial intelligence phases rather than the broader planning and approval process handled by operational bodies. It claimed the creators omitted perspectives from those involved in planning, legal review, and command decisions, leading to a false impression. The response also noted the film's failure to provide context regarding the reasons for Israel's actions in Gaza, the October 7th attacks, Hamas's strategy of embedding in civilian areas, and the IDF's extensive efforts to minimize civilian harm.

The IDF explained that "NAZA," an abbreviation for the Hebrew term "Nezek Agavi" (collateral damage), is a professional term used by lawful armies to describe accidental harm to civilians during strikes on military targets. The film, it argued, paradoxically portrays the IDF's meticulous assessment of civilian harm as indifference. The military affirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law, its procedures for minimizing civilian harm, and its openness to genuine criticism and lessons learned from substantiated accusations. It also noted that allegations of violations are investigated and addressed through disciplinary or criminal proceedings. The IDF stated that the film's creators did not submit their accusations for response before publication or provide a copy of the film upon request, forcing the IDF to rely on public viewing and open sources for its assessment.