A recent investigation by +972 Magazine, published on August 5, reveals troubling insights into the collaboration between the Israeli military and major technology firms. The report alleges that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are utilizing cloud storage and artificial intelligence services from Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to support military operations in the Gaza Strip. This usage has raised significant concerns about potential war crimes.
Colonel Racheli Dembinsky of the IDF publicly confirmed on July 10 that the military relies on these tech giants for cloud storage and AI capabilities. At a conference titled “IT for IDF” in Rishon Lezion, Dembinsky outlined how Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides the IDF with substantial storage capacity, enabling the retention of extensive intelligence data on individuals in Gaza.
This intelligence is reportedly used in targeting operations, including airstrikes and assassinations, which have led to numerous civilian casualties. Since October 7, Israeli airstrikes have reportedly claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza, with a significant portion being women and children.
The need for advanced cloud services emerged as the conflict intensified. Initially, the IDF managed intelligence through its own servers. However, the scale of recent operations required greater storage and processing power, driving the military to adopt cloud-based solutions to handle the growing volume of data, including billions of audio files.
The partnership between Israel and the tech companies began in 2021 with the initiation of Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract with Google and Amazon. This agreement allowed various Israeli government agencies to migrate non-classified data to the cloud and benefit from the sophisticated services offered by these companies. Data centers established by Google and Amazon in Israel in 2022 and 2023 further facilitated secure information storage during ongoing military operations.
Since October 2023, the collaboration under Project Nimbus has expanded. The tech companies now provide data storage and AI services to military units managing classified information, reflecting an increased reliance on these technologies during wartime.
The flexibility of cloud services has proven invaluable for the military. By leveraging these technologies, the IDF can rapidly scale its storage and processing capabilities to meet operational demands. This scalability allows for the quick collection and analysis of extensive data, which is crucial for effective targeting and intelligence gathering.
One application used by the military, known as MapIt, enables real-time tracking and marking of targets. This tool overlays potential targets on interactive maps, illustrating the breadth of surveillance and targeting efforts.
Critics, such as Tariq Kenney-Shawa from the Palestinian think tank Al-Shabaka, have raised concerns about the involvement of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. They argue that the tech companies are not merely facilitators but are actively participating in the military operations by providing the tools used in these genocidal actions.
Image: DIW-Aigen
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Colonel Racheli Dembinsky of the IDF publicly confirmed on July 10 that the military relies on these tech giants for cloud storage and AI capabilities. At a conference titled “IT for IDF” in Rishon Lezion, Dembinsky outlined how Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides the IDF with substantial storage capacity, enabling the retention of extensive intelligence data on individuals in Gaza.
This intelligence is reportedly used in targeting operations, including airstrikes and assassinations, which have led to numerous civilian casualties. Since October 7, Israeli airstrikes have reportedly claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza, with a significant portion being women and children.
The need for advanced cloud services emerged as the conflict intensified. Initially, the IDF managed intelligence through its own servers. However, the scale of recent operations required greater storage and processing power, driving the military to adopt cloud-based solutions to handle the growing volume of data, including billions of audio files.
The partnership between Israel and the tech companies began in 2021 with the initiation of Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract with Google and Amazon. This agreement allowed various Israeli government agencies to migrate non-classified data to the cloud and benefit from the sophisticated services offered by these companies. Data centers established by Google and Amazon in Israel in 2022 and 2023 further facilitated secure information storage during ongoing military operations.
Since October 2023, the collaboration under Project Nimbus has expanded. The tech companies now provide data storage and AI services to military units managing classified information, reflecting an increased reliance on these technologies during wartime.
The flexibility of cloud services has proven invaluable for the military. By leveraging these technologies, the IDF can rapidly scale its storage and processing capabilities to meet operational demands. This scalability allows for the quick collection and analysis of extensive data, which is crucial for effective targeting and intelligence gathering.
One application used by the military, known as MapIt, enables real-time tracking and marking of targets. This tool overlays potential targets on interactive maps, illustrating the breadth of surveillance and targeting efforts.
Critics, such as Tariq Kenney-Shawa from the Palestinian think tank Al-Shabaka, have raised concerns about the involvement of Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. They argue that the tech companies are not merely facilitators but are actively participating in the military operations by providing the tools used in these genocidal actions.
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