IDF formally responds to 'Lavender' film allegations

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit released a sharp and detailed response today (Thursday) to the film NAZA and figures appearing in it, arguing that the production presents a distorted, misleading and unrealistic picture of the IDF's target planning and strike process, based on fundamental factual errors and manipulations.

The army clarified that contrary to claims in the film, binding IDF directives distinguish explicitly, comprehensively and clearly between terrorists and uninvolved civilians, prohibit directing strikes at civilians, and require minimising harm to them as much as possible. The statement also emphasised that the IDF never planned, approved or carried out a strike in Gaza in which 500 civilians or a number approaching that were expected to be killed.

Regarding the use of technology, the army clarified that artificial intelligence never autonomously selected targets for strikes, and that target identification is carried out only by authorised intelligence officers, while decisions are made by operational commanders. It was further noted that the "Lavender" system is not a repository of approved targets for strikes, but rather a database that assists intelligence researchers, and that there is no order granting automatic approval for strikes that endanger a predetermined number of civilians.

The IDF spokesperson noted that the numerous errors in the film stem from the fact that the interviewees served only in junior positions in the Intelligence Corps and are not familiar with the operational strike approval process, which includes professional personnel, legal advisers and commanders. It was further noted that the film entirely omits the context of the October 7 attack, Hamas's strategy of using the population as a human shield, and all of the IDF's efforts to minimise harm to civilians.

The IDF explained that it is subject to and committed to international law, investigates failures and errors in complex combat, and that the film's creators chose unusually not to submit their claims to the IDF for response before publication or to provide a copy of it for review.