A coalition of international legal and advocacy organizations has raised grave concerns about Microsoft’s alleged role in facilitating atrocities in Gaza. According to a recently published letter, Microsoft’s cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data-processing services are accused of enabling the surveillance and targeting of Palestinian civilians, including mass data collection, communication interception, and identification of military targets.
Investigators argue that these technologies were integrated into Israeli military operations since October 2023 — a period during which tens of thousands of civilians, many of them children and women, were reportedly killed.
The letter warns that Microsoft could face civil or criminal liability for potential genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, especially given evidence that intercepted calls and sensitive personal data were stored on European servers — raising serious questions about data-protection compliance under EU law.
Despite reported restrictions on some cloud and AI services following international pressure, human-rights defenders insist Microsoft remains responsible for enabling ongoing violations and must be held accountable.
