AI-powered surveillance systems in Gaza Strip creating new dimension of warfare

The expanding use of artificial intelligence-driven surveillance systems around Gaza is reshaping modern warfare, shifting critical decision-making from the battlefield to data hubs powered by algorithms and automated analytics.

Amid Israel’s continuing military campaign in the Gaza Strip, a US-established Civil-Military Coordination Centre (CMCC) located about 20 kilometres north of the enclave has become a focal point of what analysts describe as “algorithmic warfare management”, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

The centre integrates real-time intelligence gathering with operational coordination, reflecting a broader global move towards data-led conflict management.

AI surveillance firms, including Palantir Technologies and Dataminr, are reportedly involved in the CMCC’s infrastructure. Their platforms combine satellite imagery, biometric data, drone feeds, communications traffic and open-source information into unified systems designed to classify threats and prioritise targets.

While ground forces remain central, algorithms are increasingly influential in shaping targeting decisions. This reliance on automated systems has triggered legal and ethical debate, particularly given the absence of Palestinian institutional involvement in discussions over Gaza’s future.

Palantir and Maven

Palantir provides software that synthesises large datasets into visual formats. Its clients include the Israeli military and the US Department of Defence, and the company has reportedly expanded co-operation with Israeli forces since early 2024.

Among systems linked to the CMCC is Maven, an AI-enabled targeting platform developed by Palantir. Maven consolidates surveillance inputs from satellites, drones, reconnaissance aircraft and digital sources into a single interface. Described by the US Army as an AI-supported battlefield platform, it has also been deployed in Yemen, Syria and Iraq.

In May 2025, 13 former employees criticised the company’s collaboration with the administration of Donald Trump after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement awarded it a $30 million migrant-tracking contract.

Dataminr and real-time monitoring

Dataminr, backed in its early stages by the CIA’s venture capital arm, provides real-time event detection by analysing public data streams. Through partnerships with platforms such as X, its systems enable authorities to trace historical digital activity and map online networks. US police departments have reportedly used the technology to monitor mass protests, including demonstrations linked to Gaza.

Automated targeting and surveillance

Israel has deployed an AI-based system known as Lavender to identify individuals allegedly linked to Hamas. The tool assigns probabilistic assessments based on multiple data points, generating target lists — a practice that has intensified scrutiny over the reliability of algorithmic criteria and civilian protection.

US drone manufacturer Easy Aerial supplies “drone-in-a-box” systems capable of continuous border surveillance, with imagery transmitted to AI analytics platforms for automated risk classification.

Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems provides biometric technologies used at checkpoints to verify identities and track movement, fuelling concerns about mass surveillance of civilians.

Global implications and legal debate

The integration of Palantir’s Maven and Dataminr’s analytics tools is expected to deepen US-Israel intelligence co-operation and could extend to any future stabilisation arrangements in Gaza.

Similar AI-driven systems are used in US border security, European counterterrorism and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, highlighting a shift towards data-centric warfare.

The rapid spread of military AI has intensified debate under international humanitarian law. Reliance on algorithms to distinguish civilians from combatants raises risks, while accountability remains unclear — whether it lies with commanders, developers or states deploying the systems. Legal experts are calling for stronger international standards governing the military use of artificial intelligence.

By Aghakazim Guliyev