Leaked Documents Expose Microsoft’s Deep Ties With Israeli Military During Gaza War

Internal documents reveal that Microsoft has become a key provider of cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) to the Israeli military, with its support escalating significantly since the Israeli war on Gaza began.

Leaked Documents Reveal Microsoft’s Deep Ties With Israeli Military

An investigation by The Guardian, the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine, and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call, based on documents obtained by Drop Site News, uncovers Microsoft’s deepening relationship with the Israeli military.

Leaked documents reveal that the Israeli military significantly increased its reliance on Microsoft’s cloud technology and artificial intelligence systems during its bombardment of Gaza.

The files provide a detailed account of how Microsoft strengthened its ties with Israel’s military establishment after October 7, 2023. This included expanding computing and storage services and securing contracts worth at least $10 million to deliver thousands of hours of technical support.

Israel Integrated Microsoft Into Its War on Gaza

The investigation uncovers how the Israeli military turned to major U.S. tech companies to meet the technological demands of war.

The IOF rapidly expanded its infrastructure and increasingly relied on companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google to store and analyze larger volumes of data and intelligence over extended periods.

Leaked documents reveal that Israel’s air, ground, and naval forces, along with its intelligence directorate, utilized Microsoft’s products and services, primarily its Azure cloud computing platform.

Although the IOF used some Microsoft services for administrative tasks like email and file management, the documents and interviews indicate that Azure supported combat and intelligence operations.

As a trusted partner of Israel's military, Microsoft frequently handled sensitive, highly classified projects. Its staff collaborated closely with the IOF's intelligence directorate, including the elite surveillance unit, Unit 8200.

AI Plays a Critical Role in Israel’s War on Gaza

Artificial intelligence assumed a critical role in Israel’s war on Gaza, with the military reportedly using a program called Lavender to identify targets.

However, it remains unclear which companies supported this specific program, and the military scaled it back in the months that followed.

An August report disclosed that Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS competed for lucrative contracts with the Israeli military.

The war in Gaza triggered a “gold rush” among tech companies eager to supply services to the Israeli military.

According to the Washington Post, in the aftermath of the October 7 operation, Google intensified its efforts to provide Israel’s military with expanded access to its AI technology, driven by fears that the military might opt for Amazon, another company with an Israeli government contract. 

Newly leaked documents reveal that Microsoft shared this competitive enthusiasm, offering significant discounts to secure Israeli contracts.

Israel Is One of Microsoft’s Top AI Customers

Since the start of the war on Gaza, Israel has become one of Microsoft’s top 500 global customers, with the Israeli military acting as an umbrella client, managing the military’s overall relationship with the company.

Leaked documents highlight the extensive scope of Microsoft’s involvement with the Israeli military.

Multiple units independently secured Microsoft services, including Unit 8200, specializing in signal intelligence, cyber warfare, code decryption, and military surveillance; Matzov, the Center of Encryption and Information Security; Mamram, the central computing system unit; Tikshuv, which oversees communications and cybersecurity; and Lotem, which is responsible for telecommunications and IT. The Israeli Air Force and Navy also struck significant deals with Microsoft shortly after the Gaza war began.

Israeli Military’s Average Monthly Consumption of Microsoft Azure

Analysis of leaked documents reveals that the Israeli military's average monthly use of Microsoft Azure's cloud storage facilities increased by 60% in the first six months of the war compared to the four months prior.

The documents also indicate a sharp rise in the military's use of Microsoft’s AI-based products during the same period. By March 2024, the military’s monthly consumption of Azure’s machine learning tools was 64 times higher than in September 2023.

While the specific applications of Azure’s AI tools by the IOF remain unclear, the documents suggest they relied on various AI-powered translation and speech-to-text conversion tools.

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