Venice, Sep 13 (V7N)- Israeli documentary Naja, which examines allegations surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in targeting Palestinians in Gaza, received a nearly 25-minute standing ovation following its screening at the Venice Film Festival.
The 80-minute documentary was directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, who previously won an Oscar in 2025 for No Other Land. That film documented violence by Israeli settlers and the oppression of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
Abraham and Szor worked on No Other Land alongside Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal, who served as co-directors.
Naja is the result of nearly three years of investigation and features interviews with members of the Israeli military and intelligence services. The interviewees spoke anonymously, with their voices and faces altered using technology. Some interviews were reportedly conducted at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv.
Abraham told AFP that the filmmakers wanted Israeli soldiers and officials to speak directly about their operations in Gaza. He said the objective was to provide as detailed an account as possible of how systems used in killings in Gaza were developed and operated.
The title Naja is a Hebrew intelligence term that, according to the film, refers to the estimated number of civilians who could be killed in a particular airstrike.
The documentary also examines an AI-assisted system known as “Lavender.” According to interviewees featured in the film, the system was used to identify potential targets by analyzing information obtained from monitored telecommunications networks, human movements and interpersonal communications.
One interviewee compared the process of killing Palestinians in Gaza to mass production in a factory, while another described the remote nature of target identification as resembling a video game.
The film also features allegations from Israeli military and intelligence personnel concerning the destruction of civilian homes, violations of international humanitarian law and what they described as an atmosphere of hostility toward Palestinians.
According to the interviewees, intelligence personnel were sometimes aware that targeted homes were occupied by civilians, including families, and had firsthand knowledge of the consequences.
Abraham said he hoped the documentary would encourage Western countries to reconsider their support for Israel and increase pressure through sanctions. He also called for greater international support for people seeking political and human-rights changes in Israel and Palestine.
The filmmakers argue that their investigation points to the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza being more than an unintended consequence of the war against Hamas, describing it as a deliberate and premeditated process.
The documentary has also received praise from international film critics. Screen International described Naja as an urgent and deeply moving film, while The Hollywood Reporter said it evokes feelings of outrage and indignity among viewers.
The film was produced by British producer Jim Wilson, with The Guardian also involved in its production. Jonathan Glazer serves as executive producer. The team was previously associated with The Zone of Interest, which won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2024.
According to figures cited from Gaza’s Health Ministry, approximately 73,500 Palestinians have been killed and 174,500 injured in Israeli military operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Foreign journalists have also faced restrictions on entering Gaza during the conflict.
Naja is the only documentary competing in the main competition section of this year’s Venice Film Festival, which is scheduled to conclude on Saturday.
Last year, The Voice of Hind Rajab received a 23-minute standing ovation at Venice before going on to win the festival’s second-highest award.
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