The Role of Technology in the Gaza War: Microsoft Joins Google

25th January 2025

5 minutes read

The Role of Technology in the Gaza War: Microsoft Joins Google

Following revelations about Google’s collaboration with the Israeli military in the Gaza conflict, newly leaked documents have unveiled that Microsoft also played a role in supporting Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian territory.

The documents show that the Israeli military significantly increased its reliance on Microsoft’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies during the most intense phases of the fighting and bombardment in Gaza. This was likely driven by a growing need for enhanced target analysis and decision-making capabilities.

Uncovered as part of an investigation conducted by The Guardian in partnership with Local Call and +972 Magazine, the documents provide a rare glimpse into the deepening integration of U.S. technologies in Israel’s defense systems.

The records detail transactions amounting to at least $10 million, which included thousands of hours of technical support from Microsoft and the Israeli military’s increased use of the Azure cloud platform.

Supporting the War Effort

The documents, which include business activity records from Israel’s Ministry of Defense and files from Microsoft’s Israeli branch, reveal that the company’s products and services were used by various units of the Israeli military, including the air force, navy, and intelligence divisions. Microsoft’s Azure platform was reportedly utilized not only for administrative tasks, such as email and file management, but also to support combat and intelligence activities.

The investigation, which also draws on interviews with sources in the Israeli military and intelligence community, sheds new light on how Israeli forces relied on major U.S. tech companies to meet the technological demands of the conflict.

Since launching its offensive on Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli military has increasingly depended on companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google to store and analyze vast amounts of data and intelligence for extended periods.

The leaked documents, which include commercial records from Israel’s Ministry of Defense and files from Microsoft Israel, show that Microsoft’s products—especially its Azure cloud computing platform—were used extensively by the air force, ground forces, navy, and intelligence directorate.

While some of Microsoft’s services were employed for administrative purposes, such as email and file management, evidence from the documents and interviews indicates that Azure was also used to support combat and intelligence operations.

A Trusted Partner

As a “trusted partner” of Israel’s Ministry of Defense, Microsoft was often tasked with working on highly sensitive and classified projects. Its employees collaborated closely with the Israeli intelligence directorate, including elite surveillance units and Unit 8200.

In recent years, the documents reveal that Microsoft also provided the Israeli military with broad access to OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, thanks to its partnership with the AI tools developer. Notably, OpenAI recently amended its policies, which previously prohibited working with military and intelligence clients.

Microsoft declined to comment on the investigation’s findings or respond to questions about its work with the Israeli military.

Deep Ties and Ethical Concerns

According to The Guardian, the disclosure of Microsoft’s deep ties with the Israeli military and the integration of its systems into the war effort underscores the growing role of the private sector in high-tech warfare. It also highlights the increasingly blurred lines between civilian and military digital infrastructure.

In the United States, the commercial relationships between the Israeli military and major technology companies have come under increasing scrutiny. These ties have sparked protests among tech workers who fear that the products they develop may have facilitated a war in Gaza, where Israel has been accused of committing serious violations of international humanitarian law.

In a conflict marked by Israel’s use of cutting-edge battlefield systems—such as AI-based target recommendation tools like “Gospel” and “Lavender”—the role of major U.S.-based tech companies in supporting Israel’s operations in Gaza has largely remained out of the public eye.

Competition and Continued Collaboration

In 2021, after Microsoft failed to secure a $1.2 billion contract to overhaul Israel’s public sector cloud computing infrastructure, its executives reportedly envied Amazon and Google, which joined forces to win the massive deal, known as “Project Nimbus.”

While this outcome undoubtedly dealt a blow to Microsoft’s business prospects in Israel and its status as the Israeli military’s primary cloud services provider, the leaked documents suggest that the company found solace in assurances from Israeli defense officials that it would maintain a strong partnership with the military.

During the attack on Gaza, the Israeli Air Force’s “Ofek” unit, responsible for managing massive databases of potential targets for deadly airstrikes known as “Target Banks,” utilized a range of communication and messaging systems produced by Microsoft.

Additionally, Microsoft employees and their contractors worked closely with Israeli military personnel across various divisions, providing remote advice and technical support as well as on-site assistance at military bases.

During the attack on Gaza, Microsoft engineers also supported Israeli military intelligence units, such as Unit 8200 and another secret intelligence unit, Unit 9900 – which specializes in collecting and analyzing visual intelligence – to assist their use of cloud computing infrastructure.

According to the files, between the start of the war in October 2023 and the end of June 2024, Israel’s Ministry of Defense approved the purchase of 19,000 hours of engineering support and consultancy services from Microsoft to assist a wide range of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units. These deals reportedly generated approximately $10 million in revenue for Microsoft.

A Strategic Shift

In a book published in 2021, revealed to have been authored by a former head of Unit 8200 and reported by The Guardian, it was predicted that the Israeli military‘s increasing demand for cloud computing would lead to partnerships with companies such as Microsoft and Amazon, “in ways similar to their existing relationships with major arms manufacturers like Lockheed Martin.”

Two years later, as Israel launched a ground invasion and an aerial campaign on Gaza – an offensive unprecedented in its speed and intensity – the Israeli military’s increased demand for bombs was matched by its growing need for access to cloud computing services.

This created an opportunity for Microsoft to deepen its relationship with the Israeli military. In November 2023, the files indicate that the Israeli Ministry of Defense turned to the company to provide rapid support to the army’s central computing unit, known as Maram.

Maram, responsible for the military’s technological infrastructure, was at the forefront of the transformation that saw Israeli forces increasingly rely on commercial cloud computing companies.

During a defense industry conference in Tel Aviv last year, the commander of this unit explained that, at the start of the Israeli ground invasion, IDF systems were overwhelmed, forcing the unit to procure computing power from the civilian sector.