“All of Microsoft has blood on their hands”, shouted employee Ibtihal Aboussad, interrupting the company’s 50th anniversary celebration in protest.
As Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman paused his speech, she accused the company of fuelling the war in Gaza by supplying AI technology to the Israeli military.
Before being escorted out, she threw a keffiyeh—symbol of Palestinian solidarity—onto the stage.
Let us take a look at the accusations Microsoft faces for Gaza violence.
What is the deal between IDF and Microsoft? Did AI really intensify killings in Gaza?
Why did the woman put allegations on Microsoft AI of killings in Gaza?
- At Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event, employee Ibtihal Aboussad protested the company’s involvement, accusing it of powering a “genocide” and enabling war crimes in Gaza.
- In 2023, Microsoft signed a $1.2 billion (₹1,209 crores approx) cloud computing deal with the Israeli Ministry of Defence, providing Azure infrastructure to power military operations.
- Azure infrastructure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform that offers powerful data storage, artificial intelligence tools, and high-speed computing.
- It allows the Israeli military to process vast amounts of surveillance data—such as phone records, geolocation, and social media activity—in real time.
Satellite imagery reveals the location where the family paused at a convenience store—just a mile before their car was struck by an Israeli airstrike. (Image credit- AP: Marshall Ritzel/Planet Labs)
She said,
You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military. Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.
What is the deal between Microsoft and Israel that the woman was talking about?
- In 2023, Microsoft signed a $1.2 billion (₹1,209 crore approx) cloud contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defence.
- The deal enables Israel to use Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and AI infrastructure to support its military operations.
- Microsoft’s technology reportedly powers systems like ‘Lavender’ and ‘The Gospel’, which are used to automatically select bombing targets in Gaza.
- Investigations claim these systems use metadata and phone tracking to flag targets with minimal human oversight, sometimes within 20 seconds.
- The employee, Ibtihal Aboussad, accused Microsoft of directly enabling these operations, which she said have resulted in over 50,000 deaths in Gaza.
Ibtihal Aboussad protested the company’s role in supplying the digital tools behind what she described as AI-powered warfare and genocide.
What is Microsoft’s Azure infrastructure and how does it work in favour of Israel?
- Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides data storage, AI tools, computing power, and analytics services.
- Azure enables the processing of massive surveillance data, including video feeds, phone metadata, and geolocation info from Gaza.
- It supports AI systems like ‘Lavender’ and ‘The Gospel’, which are used to identify and prioritise bombing targets.
- These AI tools rely on Azure’s speed and scale to make rapid, automated decisions with minimal human intervention.
- This infrastructure helps Israel conduct faster, more data-driven military operations, but critics say it also risks civilian harm due to algorithmic errors and lack of accountability.
In a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson, the company said,
We welcome all voices but ask that they don’t disrupt business. If disruption occurs, we request participants to relocate.
What are Lavender and Gospel, and how do they work?
- Lavender and The Gospel are AI systems reportedly used by the Israeli military to help identify bombing targets in Gaza.
- Lavender scans large amounts of data—like phone numbers, SIM card changes, and location history—to flag people as suspected militants.
- It can generate thousands of potential targets, often based only on metadata, not confirmed identities.
- Soldiers are given just 20 seconds or less to review each target before approving a strike, according to whistleblower accounts.
- The Gospel is used to confirm whether the person is present at the target location, often by tracking phone signals.
- Critics say these systems make warfare faster but less accurate, risking high civilian casualties and raising serious legal and ethical concerns.
How do Microsoft AI and servers help Israel in their war tactics?
- According to investigations by +972 Magazine and Local Call, a news and opinion magazine in Israel, ‘Lavender’ flagged up to 37,000 potential targets, often using metadata such as phone numbers and location data, with as little as 20 seconds of human review per strike.
- Whistleblowers cited in these reports described the process as automated and industrialised warfare, where the emphasis was on speed and volume rather than verification.
- Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have warned that such AI-driven targeting may have contributed to high civilian death tolls and could violate international law.
Mahmoud Adnan Chour weeps at the funeral of his three daughters and their grandmother, killed in an Israeli airstrike in Ainata, Lebanon, near the Israeli border on Nov. 7, 2023. (Image credit: AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari, File)
What other technologies does the Israeli military use to find bombing targets?
- AI tools like Lavender and The Gospel scan metadata, geolocation, and call patterns to flag suspected Hamas members.
- People can be targeted for carrying a flagged SIM or brief contact with suspects.
- AI assigns probability scores, often based on minimal or indirect data.
- A dog was mistakenly flagged due to metadata links—showing AI’s lack of context.
- The process enables mass targeting with minimal human checks.
- Robot dogs (Vision 60) assist in scouting, mapping, and detecting explosives using AI.