Israeli Military Issues 17-Page Rebuttal to "Naza" Film

The Israeli military has published a 17-page document refuting claims made in the film "Naza," which examines the process of approving attacks during the Gaza conflict. The military asserts that the film presents a "distorted, misleading, and unrealistic picture" of attack planning and approval, citing "fundamental factual errors" and anonymous testimonies. The IDF stated that the filmmakers focused on limited stages of the planning process while omitting crucial examination, monitoring, and operational approval phases. The military also claims the film manipulates editing to create an impression of inhumanity, distorting facts and removing necessary context. Regarding the term "Naza," which refers to "collateral damage," the military explained it is a professional term used globally to estimate potential civilian harm before attacks. This assessment, the IDF says, allows commanders to adjust plans, add precautions, or even cancel attacks to minimize civilian casualties, countering the film's portrayal of these assessments as indifference. The military criticized filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore for not seeking their response before publication or providing a copy of the film, despite requests. The IDF's response is based on publicly available materials and statements from the filmmakers. The military also addressed anonymous testimonies, stating intelligence analysts are not the sole decision-makers in attack execution, but part of a broader chain involving commanders, operational bodies, legal advisors, and others. The IDF denied planning or approving any attack in Gaza expected to kill 500 civilians, and refuted the existence of a fixed threshold for 200 civilian casualties. The numbers cited in the film, according to the military, represent validation levels for attack approval, not permissible casualty quotas, with each case undergoing separate review under international law.