Israeli Ministers Condemn Directors of Gaza Documentary After Venice Prize Win

Two Israeli ministers have condemned the Oscar-winning filmmakers behind Naza , a documentary examining Israel's military operations in Gaza, after it won a major prize at the Venice International Film Festival on Saturday. Culture Minister Miki Zohar called for directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor to be stripped of their Israeli citizenship, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir described the pair as a “disgrace and an embarrassment” and told them to leave the country. The comments came after Naza won the Special Jury Prize at Venice, two days after its premiere received a record-breaking standing ovation lasting about 24 and a half minutes. Zohar accused the filmmakers of being willing to “harm their homeland in order to receive applause from anti-Semites around the world”. “I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for betraying the state,” he wrote on X on Sunday. Ben-Gvir called the filmmakers "a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel". “I am certain that your friends, that is to say our enemies Hamas in Gaza, will welcome you with open arms," he wrote on X. The 80-minute documentary examines how Israel selects targets in Gaza, including its use of artificial intelligence. The film draws on clandestine interviews conducted over three years with 24 Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers. The participants, whose identities are concealed, were filmed at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv, with their faces and voices digitally altered. They describe military operations in which strikes were carried out despite Israel being aware that civilians were present in those areas. The film takes its title from an Israeli military term referring to the number of civilians expected to be killed in an air strike. One of those interviewed claims that approval was given for an attack on a single Hamas member, despite the possibility that as many as 500 civilians could be killed. The Israeli military has rejected the allegations in Naza and questioned its reliance on anonymous testimony, saying the identities and positions of those interviewed could not be verified. It has acknowledged using AI to assist in identifying targets, but says decisions on whether to carry out strikes are ultimately made by people. Naza was one of the most talked-about films at this year's Venice festival. Audience members held Palestinian flags during the lengthy ovation that followed its premiere on Thursday. Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania , who was part of the festival jury, praised Abraham and Szor's approach to documenting the war after presenting them with the Special Jury Prize. “Those two brilliant directors found a way with the constraints of filming testimonies anonymously,” she said at the post-awards news conference. “And it's not about their feelings. They are cogs in a bigger machine. I found this just brilliant, necessary and very important in a time when we are talking a lot about denial.” Ben Hania, whose Gaza drama The Voice of Hind Rajab won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice last year, said the filmmakers documented events as they unfolded. “They are filming fresh history. The genocide is still ongoing. This is brave,” she added. Naza was produced by The Guardian and James Wilson, with The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer serving as an executive producer. When accepting the award, Abraham said it was important for the documentary to be seen in Israel. “We believe that the denial of a crime is what helps it persist, and that’s why it’s important for us that the Israelis see this film,” he said. He also credited Palestinian journalists with documenting events in Gaza before the filmmakers began their work. “I want to be very clear. This truth has been documented and is known from the first day thanks to Palestinian journalists,” he said. "More than 200 of them have been killed by Israel in Gaza. Their voices were silenced and denied." Abraham and Szor were previously among the four directors of No Other Land , which won the Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2025. The film, made with Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal , documented Palestinian communities facing displacement and settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Its Oscar win also drew criticism from Zohar, who at the time accused the filmmakers of damaging Israel's international image. As culture minister, Zohar does not have the authority to revoke Israeli citizenship. While Israeli law allows citizenship to be revoked in limited circumstances involving what it defines as a breach of loyalty to the state, including treason and espionage, stripping the filmmakers of their citizenship would require further government and legal action.