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Leaked internal documents reveal Microsoft’s role as a major purveyor of cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) technology to the Israeli military, with its support picking up pace after Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel ignited the Gaza conflict.
A joint investigation by the Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call details how Microsoft bolstered its relationship with Israel’s defence establishment following the unprecedented Hamas assault, signing deals worth at least $10 million. These agreements reportedly provided thousands of hours of technical support, alongside expanded computing and storage services.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), facing increased demand for computing power after launching its offensive in Gaza, turned to tech companies to scale its infrastructure, triggering a "gold rush". As firms vied for military contracts, Microsoft offered steep discounts to edge out rivals.
According to one military commander who spoke to the Guardian, this marked a shift toward "the wonderful world of cloud providers."
The documents, first obtained by Drop Site News, show the IDF’s reliance on Microsoft, Amazon, and Google for data storage and intelligence analysis grew sharply. Between June 2023 and April 2024, Microsoft’s cloud storage usage within the military surged by over 155 per cent, peaking before the Rafah offensive in May 2024.
Microsoft’s Azure platform and OpenAI-powered tools accounted for nearly 75 per cent of the IDF’s cloud-based operations. These services supported combat and intelligence activities, including projects with Unit 8200, the IDF’s elite surveillance division, and Unit 81, which develops advanced spy technology.
The tech behemoth was frequently involved in sensitive and highly classified projects. It played a role in maintaining “Rolling Stone,” a system that tracks the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
During the military operation in Gaza, Ofek, an air force unit responsible for managing databases of targets for strikes, relied on Microsoft’s communication and messaging systems.
The leaked files also detail Microsoft’s provision of AI tools like Lavender, which reportedly analysed data on 2.3 million Gaza residents to identify potential Hamas connections. The system flagged about 37,000 Palestinians as suspects, according to Tel Aviv-based +972 Magazine.
The revelations come as Google also ramped up its support to Israel’s Defense Ministry, offering increased access to its AI technologies. Additional projects worth $30 million are under consideration, though the total value of Israel’s contract with Microsoft remains unclear.
Microsoft has yet to comment on the findings, which shed light on how US tech giants are deeply embedded in military and intelligence operations worldwide.
Published By:
Devika Bhattacharya
Published On:
Jan 24, 2025
