Israel’s Lavender AI System Used to Target Gaza Residents
The Israeli military has been utilizing an artificial intelligence system called Lavender to create a list of individuals in Gaza for potential targeting. Reports suggest that the system, which focuses on people rather than buildings, identifies individuals based on a ranking system that determines their likelihood of being associated with Hamas.
Lavender reportedly analyzes data collected on nearly all 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza through mass surveillance. The system learns to identify characteristics of known Hamas operatives and then searches for similar features within the general population. Individuals with multiple incriminating features are assigned high ratings, marking them as potential targets for assassination.
Despite known inaccuracies in identifying targets, the Israeli military heavily relied on Lavender during the early stages of the conflict. Human operators were involved in the decision-making process, but mostly served as a rubber stamp, spending only seconds on each target selection.
The report also indicates that Israel has loosened its threshold for civilian casualties as collateral damage, allowing for the targeting of individuals with significant civilian casualties. The military has targeted individuals, including junior militants, in their family homes, resulting in the deaths of numerous innocent civilians, including women and children.
In response to these reports, the Israeli military defended its actions, stating that it does not use an artificial intelligence system to identify terrorists or predict terrorist activities. The military asserted that analysts are required to independently verify targets to ensure compliance with international law and IDF directives.
While Lavender’s use has reportedly been scaled back since the initial stages of the conflict, concerns remain about the system’s accuracy and the ethical implications of targeting individuals based on AI-generated rankings. The impact of Israel’s targeted killings in Gaza, particularly on civilian populations, continues to raise questions about the use of advanced technologies in military operations.
