After months of protests by employees and pro-Palestinian activists, sparked in part by a Guardian report on Microsoft’s ties to Israeli security agencies, the tech giant has for the first time acknowledged that it hired an external firm to investigate whether the IDF used its cloud and AI services to harm civilians in Gaza.
The findings, released within the last 24 hours, concluded there was no evidence Microsoft technologies were used to cause harm to civilians. However, the company's public acknowledgment of the review marks a rare move for the tech giant, which typically avoids commenting on politically sensitive issues.
In a blog post, Microsoft said it conducted an internal investigation and also hired an independent external body. The inquiry included interviews with dozens of employees and an examination of internal documents. “We found no evidence that Microsoft Azure or Microsoft AI technologies were used to cause harm to people as part of the conflict in Gaza,” the statement read.
The company confirmed that Israel’s Ministry of Defense receives professional services from Microsoft, including software, cloud, and AI tools—such as translation services—but said the relationship was a “standard commercial agreement.” Microsoft added that any use of its technology must comply with its ethical code and usage policies, which prohibit causing harm.
At the same time, Microsoft admitted that it cannot fully track how its technologies are used on private servers or local networks. It clarified that services provided to the Israeli Ministry of Defense do not include access to operational or military-specific systems. “Typically, militaries use custom software or systems developed by defense contractors,” the company noted.
Still, Microsoft disclosed for the first time that it provided emergency assistance to the Israeli government after the October 7 Hamas attack, in support of efforts to rescue hostages. The company said this assistance was tightly controlled and each request was reviewed individually—some were approved, others rejected—with consideration given to protecting the privacy and rights of Gaza’s civilian population. The admission marks a rare acknowledgment of Microsoft’s direct involvement in sensitive security operations, even if limited in scope and duration.
Employee tensions and ongoing protests
The protests against Microsoft have grown in recent months under the “No Azure for Apartheid” campaign, which includes both current and former employees. They accuse the company of aiding what they describe as an apartheid regime and providing services to the IDF amid international allegations of war crimes.
One of the campaign’s leading voices, Hussam Nasser, dismissed Microsoft’s latest statement as “full of contradictions and lies,” criticizing the company for not mentioning the word “Palestinians” even once. He claimed this omission reflected its business priorities.
Activists also slammed the timing of the statement, which coincided with Nakba Day, calling it a PR move meant to placate investors rather than genuinely address employees’ concerns. For them, any business ties with the IDF, regardless of limitations, constitute ethically problematic collaboration.
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Tensions reached a peak during Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebrations, when two former employees disrupted speeches by company executives, including AI division head Mustafa Suleyman, calling for an end to military use of Microsoft’s AI. Both were fired shortly after. Nonetheless, protests have continued at company events, with activists demanding a complete halt to cooperation with the IDF and full transparency about Microsoft’s ties to the Israeli government.
In its statement, Microsoft attempted to position itself as committed to human rights and striking a balance between supporting national security and protecting civilians. The company said it was “deeply concerned by the loss of life in both Israel and Gaza” and highlighted its support for humanitarian initiatives on both sides.
Despite the calming tone, Microsoft declined to name the external body that conducted the investigation and did not refute reports that it provided the Israeli military with some 19,000 hours of engineering and consulting services, in a deal estimated at $10 million. The company also did not directly address claims that OpenAI technology was used to transcribe and translate intercepted communications.