'NAZA' Explained: Inside the Gaza Film That Has Netanyahu Threatening Citizenship Revocation

An Israeli documentary about the Gaza war has moved from a celebrated Venice premiere to a political and legal row after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the film while announcing proposed legislation that would allow citizenship to be revoked from people who defame Israeli soldiers. NAZA, made by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence personnel about targeting practices during the war.

The proposals do not mean Abraham or Szor have lost their citizenship. Any new legislation would still have to pass through Israel's legislative and legal process, making the film the centre of a growing dispute over its allegations and criticism of Israel's military.

What Is 'NAZA' About?

NAZA is an 80-minute documentary examining Israel's targeting practices during the Gaza war. Interviews with military and intelligence personnel describe target selection and anticipated civilian casualties before strikes.

The title comes from an Israeli military and intelligence term referring to the expected number of 'collateral casualties' from an attack. The documentary was produced over more than three years, with interviewees' identities concealed through digitally altered voices and faces. Abraham and Szor previously worked together on the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.

The film alleges that civilian deaths were routinely factored into Israeli military targeting decisions. Those allegations have been rejected by Israel's government and military.

Why Has 'NAZA' Caused Controversy?

The Israeli military has said AI can assist in identifying targets, but human personnel make the final decisions on selecting and approving strikes. It has also disputed the use of anonymous testimony, saying the sources cannot be independently verified.

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs separately called NAZA 'pure propaganda' and said its allegations were based on anonymous sources without credible evidence or supporting documentation.

The ministry specifically rejected the film's claim that an Israeli strike was approved despite an expectation that up to 500 civilians could be killed, saying no such operational plan existed. It also said AI systems do not independently make operational decisions and that military actions remain subject to human oversight.

The competing accounts are central to the controversy: NAZA presents testimony from Israeli military and intelligence personnel, while Israeli authorities have challenged the reliability and interpretation of that testimony.

Why Is Netanyahu Threatening Citizenship Revocation?

The controversy escalated after Culture Minister Miki Zohar called for Abraham and Szor to lose their Israeli citizenship, accusing them of 'treason against the state.'

On 16 September 2026, Netanyahu said he would advance two bills after citing NAZA alongside remarks by former general and politician Yair Golan and a leaked video showing soldiers abusing a Gaza detainee as examples behind the proposed measures.

One proposal would allow citizenship to be revoked from people who defame Israeli soldiers, while another would increase statutory damages in defamation cases 20-fold.

'We will hit them both in their pockets and in their citizenship, as their place is not with us,' Netanyahu said in a social media video.

Netanyahu specifically cited NAZA as one of the incidents behind the proposed measures, saying the film portrayed Israeli officers and soldiers as 'war criminals.'

What Happened After Naza Premiered?

NAZA premiered at the 2026 Venice Film Festival and received a roughly 25-minute standing ovation. It won the Special Jury Prize on 12 September.

The controversy intensified in the days that followed. On 14 September, Netanyahu called the documentary 'shocking' and accused it of contributing to antisemitic incitement. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir described its allegations as false and ordered military lawyers to examine possible legal action involving the documentary and its sources.

Hamas, meanwhile, called for an independent international investigation into the allegations presented in NAZA. The group said the testimony should be reviewed by the International Criminal Court, UN bodies and international human-rights organisations.

The filmmakers have not had their citizenship revoked, but Netanyahu's proposed bills could put NAZA and its creators at the centre of a legal and political battle over criticism of Israeli soldiers and the conduct of the Gaza war.