A documentary titled NAZA, produced under the auspices of the Guardian, opened to attention at the Venice Film Festival after its directors presented interviews with Israeli intelligence personnel discussing how civilian harm is estimated and factored into targeting decisions.
The film centers on a term described in the film as "Naza," reportedly used by some Israeli military officials to denote the estimated number of civilian casualties expected from a particular strike. Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor use night-time, off-the-record conversations with anonymous figures to explore how that figure is calculated and the institutional practices behind it.
What the film shows
NAZA presents accounts of personnel discussing the use of artificial intelligence, statistical error rates and the role of specific intelligence units that interviewees characterise as prone to mistakes. The documentary draws a throughline between technical systems, human judgement and the consequences for civilians in Gaza, and incorporates reporting that has previously appeared in the Guardian.
Production and contributors
The film was directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the pair behind No Other Land, which examined Israel Defence Forces operations in West Bank villages. NAZA is executive produced by Jonathan Glazer and James Wilson and is presented with the Guardian as a production partner; some of the documentary's material derives from reporting published by the newspaper.
Anonymity, credibility and safety
Many of the interviewees appear on camera without identifying themselves or speak under conditions of anonymity. The filmmakers and reviewers acknowledge that safety concerns and the risk to sources in sensitive security contexts make on-the-record testimony difficult to obtain, but they also note that anonymity can reduce the evidentiary force of personal accounts for some viewers.
Reception and wider implications
Reviewers at Venice described the film as casting a chilling light on practices that quantify civilian harm, with some suggesting the term Naza may become as loaded as historical military euphemisms like the US "body count" from the Vietnam era. The documentary raises broader ethical and legal questions about how casualty estimates are produced, how reliable automated and human inputs are, and how such metrics shape operational choices in conflict.
NAZA adds to ongoing public scrutiny of targeting practices and the tools used to support them, inviting debate about transparency, accountability and the technological and institutional drivers behind decisions that carry grave human consequences.