Gaza themed film Naja: An uproar has started in Israel over a film based on the action in Gaza. The Israeli minister has even threatened to cancel the citizenship of film directors. The film recently won an award at the Venice Film Festival. Since then this film has remained in the news continuously.
Israeli Culture Minister Mickey Johar has criticized the documentary film 'Naza' and its producers on Israeli military action in Gaza. After the film was honored at the Venice Film Festival, Zohar has threatened to initiate the process of revoking the Israeli citizenship of the film's producers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zohar.
In a social media post on Sunday, Johar described the film as very bad and expressed surprise at the recognition it received at the Venice Film Festival. He accused the filmmakers of harming the country and seeking support from anti-Israel people abroad. The minister termed the action of both as treason against the country.
Israel's Culture Minister Miki Zohar threatened to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after their Gaza documentary NAZA won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Zohar called the film “vile” and said it “constitutes treason.”
The… pic.twitter.com/uVEa3gTlh5
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 13, 2026
What's in the movie?
According to the Venice Film Festival, this 80-minute documentary shows allegations of Israel using AI-based technology to target Palestinians in Gaza. After the premiere of the film, the audience stood and applauded for about 25 minutes.
The film also includes interviews with people associated with the Israeli army and intelligence department. These people spoke without hiding their identities. He mentioned an AI system called 'Lavender' which was reportedly used in Gaza to identify potential military targets by monitoring phone calls and other information. The film's director Yuval Abraham said he hopes the documentary will inspire Western governments to impose economic sanctions on Israel.
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Applause rang for 25 minutes at Venice premiere
Israeli documentary 'Naza', made on Israel's military action in Gaza and the use of AI, made a strong impact at the Venice Film Festival. After the premiere of the 80-minute film, the audience stood and applauded for about 25 minutes. The film is directed by Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor, who won an Oscar for the 2025 documentary 'No Other Land'.
Film made after 3 years of preparation
This film has been prepared after almost three years of investigation. It includes statements of people associated with the Israeli army and intelligence department. These people talked to the filmmakers by hiding their identities. Their voices and faces were digitally altered and they were filmed on the rooftops of Tel Aviv buildings at night.
The film's director Yuval Abraham told AFP that the film gave soldiers and officers an opportunity to speak openly about the work they did. He said that his aim was to understand how the military systems that targeted people in Gaza worked.
What does the title Naja mean?
The name of the film 'Naja' is taken from a secret word in Hebrew language. It is reportedly used to give the estimated number of civilians who could be killed in an airstrike. The people interviewed in the film have also mentioned an AI system named 'Lavender'. According to him, this system used information related to phone calls, conversations and people's movements being monitored in Gaza to identify potential attack targets.