“ We intended to kill these children”: The most controversial testimonies in NAZA

• The documentary NAZA features anonymous testimonies from 24 ‘Israeli’ military and intelligence personnel describing alleged deliberate killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
• Benjamin Netanyahu has called for an investigation to identify the participants and prosecute them over alleged security violations, criminal defamation, and damage to ‘Israel’s’ diplomatic interests.

Anonymous testimonies from ‘Israeli’ soldiers and intelligence personnel describing the killing of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip have drawn renewed attention following a government backlash against the documentary NAZA, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to demand an investigation into its participants.

The documentary, directed by 'Israeli' filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, features 24 anonymous military and intelligence sources who describe their experiences during the war on Gaza. Their accounts include allegations of deliberate attacks on civilians, indiscriminate killing, and military practices that treated Palestinian lives as expendable.

Among the statements attributed to interviewees are admissions of deliberately targeting children, treating unarmed Palestinians as terrorists, and taking repeated shots at people who had already been wounded.

One interviewee is quoted as saying, “We intended to kill these children. We heard them scream.”

Other testimonies describe the killing as resembling a video game, with one soldier reportedly saying it was “insanely fun.” Another described bombing people again after they had been injured.

One account alleges that unarmed Palestinians were classified as terrorists, while another describes bodies being left behind and eaten by dogs.

A further testimony refers to a policy allegedly allowing the killing of as many as 500 people for every suspected target. Such claims concern the military’s targeting practices and require scrutiny against independently verified evidence and the rules governing attacks under international humanitarian law.

On October 11, Netanyahu called on ‘Israel’s’ attorney general, military chief of staff Eyal Zamir, and Shin Bet chief David Zini to identify the individuals who appeared in the documentary and pursue criminal proceedings against those responsible.

He accused the film of presenting a false and misleading account that damages ‘Israel’s’ international standing. His demands included investigations into alleged security violations, criminal defamation, and harm to diplomatic and security interests.

The move followed earlier condemnation of the film by ‘Israeli’ officials. The military rejected its allegations, describing the documentary as a distorted portrayal of its targeting procedures and arguing that the testimonies relied on anonymous sources whose identities and roles could not be verified. It also denied that artificial intelligence independently selects and approves targets, saying those decisions are made by human personnel.

Abraham and Szor spent years investigating the military’s operations and interviewing sources familiar with its targeting systems. According to the filmmakers, the research extended beyond the 24 people appearing anonymously on camera, with additional confidential sources and documentary material used to corroborate major allegations.

The controversy has intensified debate over the treatment of journalistic sources and the accountability of military personnel who disclose alleged abuses. Press freedom advocates have warned that attempts to expose anonymous sources could intimidate whistleblowers and journalists investigating potential violations.

The testimonies in NAZA do not, by themselves, establish the criminal liability of particular individuals. However, the allegations raise serious questions about the conduct of military operations in Gaza, the protection of civilians, and whether reported violations have been independently investigated.