The utilization of artificial intelligence by the Israeli military for target identification in Gaza has been brought to light in an investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call. According to six Israeli intelligence officials linked to the purported program, the AI tool named “Lavender” exhibited a 10% error rate, with human oversight of suggested targets being minimal.
While the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) did not refute the existence of the tool following +972 Magazine’s report, they denied its use in identifying suspected terrorists. The IDF clarified that information systems serve as aids for analysts in the target identification process, highlighting the importance of independent examinations by analysts to ensure compliance with international law and IDF directives.
Despite the IDF’s assertion, an official disclosed that human personnel often merely endorsed the machine’s decisions without thorough scrutiny, dedicating a mere 20 seconds to each target before authorizing a bombing, primarily focusing on the target’s gender.
This investigation emerges amidst heightened global scrutiny of Israel’s military actions, particularly following airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of foreign aid workers in Gaza. The siege of Gaza has led to a significant loss of lives and a severe humanitarian crisis, affecting a large portion of the population.
The IDF emphasized that while they do not employ artificial intelligence to identify terrorists, their analysts utilize a database to compile intelligence for military operatives of terrorist organizations, subject to verification against international law and IDF directives.
Furthermore, the report highlighted that Israeli forces frequently conducted night attacks on residential targets, resulting in significant civilian casualties, particularly during the initial stages of the conflict. The use of unguided missiles in targeting alleged junior militants raised concerns about collateral damage and the safety of civilians in densely populated areas like Gaza.
In response to these allegations, the IDF stated that they assess targets meticulously before strikes, considering operational and humanitarian factors to minimize harm to civilians. Israeli officials maintain that the use of heavy munitions is essential to combat Hamas, citing previous attacks by the group as justification for their military actions.
CNN’s Vasco Cotovio and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to the coverage of this issue.
