NAZA: how and where to watch the Guardian’s acclaimed Gaza documentary

NAZA, the documentary featuring testimony from 24 Israeli military intelligence officers about surveillance and remote killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, will be released in full on the Guardian's website for free in early December. The film has been shown by cinemas in 47 countries and seen by more than 1.5 million people since its release last month, making it one of the most-watched documentary films with a theatrical release in 2026.

Film's Content and Production

The documentary's title comes from an Israeli military acronym used euphemistically to refer to civilians expected to be killed in military attacks. The film details methods used by the Israeli military, including AI-based systems built to identify potential Hamas operatives who were then bombed in their homes at night, with knowledge that families would also be killed.

Directed by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by the Guardian, NAZA builds on revelations first published by +972 magazine, Local Call, and the Guardian between 2023 and 2025. Abraham and Szor previously co-directed No Other Land, which won the Oscar for best documentary in 2025.

Critical Reception and Backlash

NAZA has received widespread critical acclaim, with The New York Times calling it 'tough to watch, and impossible to ignore' and the Financial Times giving it a five-star review, saying 'journalism and film-making brilliantly entwine.' The film won the special jury prize at the Venice film festival, where its premiere had a 25-minute ovation – a festival record.

The film and its directors have faced fierce attacks from the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered authorities to reveal the identities of sources and prosecute them, while threatening to strip Abraham and Szor of their citizenship. The Israeli military has claimed there were 'substantial errors' in the film, though the directors say they spoke to more than 100 sources with knowledge of military systems.

Counter-Narrative

The Israeli government is promoting a counter-documentary called NAZA: The Real Story, which mimics the style of the genuine film and is hosted on nazadocumentary.com. Initially, the rival film's website falsely presented itself as a promotional page for NAZA itself. The project, co-created by Israeli attorney Ariel Averbuch, has been promoted by Israeli embassies.

Far-right groups have vowed to hound the filmmakers on their return to Israel and have picketed Szor's family home, with some messages including explicit calls for violence. Despite the backlash, NAZA will become freely available online next month, potentially reaching an even wider audience.