Saudi-Funded AI Technologies Responsible for Killing Tens of Thousands in Gaza

A recent investigative report has revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have played a significant role in the killing of tens of thousands in Gaza through Israeli attacks—funded by the regime of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In 2024, the “Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute” organized the third edition of the “Priority Summit” in Miami, primarily sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), along with other entities such as the Saudi Ministry of Investment.

This summit attracted numerous business leaders and political figures, all sharing a strong interest in artificial intelligence. However, one name stood out in the investigation: Palantir Technologies.

The CEO of Palantir, Alex Karp, attended the FII summit and was given the platform to discuss “leveraging AI capabilities across various sectors.” However, this is not the only connection between the Saudi government and Palantir.

Saudi Investment in AI Warfare

In early 2025, Saudi conglomerate Al-Turki Holding launched the “AI Challenge Award” in collaboration with Microsoft and Palantir, aiming to strengthen strategic partnerships.

Additionally, in 2023, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced an investment of 5 billion SAR in four national companies, including “Nesma & Partners Contracting Co.,” a partnership involving Al-Turki Holding, Nesma & Partners, Rawabi Holding, and PIF itself.

Palantir, originally founded in 2003 amid the U.S. invasion of Iraq, was indirectly established by the CIA, providing intelligence software for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, it remains a major player in modern warfare analytics.

Palantir is often described as “one of the most frightening” American tech giants and labeled as “the 21st-century AI arms dealer.”

A 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek cover story questioned, “Do you know Palantir? Because Palantir knows you.” The investigative article was titled, “Palantir Knows Everything About You.”

The company’s software collects and processes vast amounts of data, allowing its users to uncover hidden networks and predict so-called “terrorist threats.” What makes Palantir unique is that this complex process is simplified through a user-friendly interface—putting the power to conduct targeted attacks at anyone’s fingertips.

Palantir and Israel: A Deep-Rooted Connection

In 2013, Palantir established a research and development center in Israel under the leadership of Hamutal Meridor, who has strong ties to the Israeli Unit 8200, Israel’s elite cyber intelligence division.

In 2023, Palantir held its first-ever board meeting in Tel Aviv as an act of solidarity with Israel’s struggling tech sector. During the visit, the company’s CEO signed an expanded agreement with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, pledging to provide cutting-edge technology to “support wartime missions.”

Palantir has sold its AI platforms to the Israeli occupation forces and intelligence agencies, providing tools that enable them to make high-stakes decisions on targeting and attacking potential threats.

A detailed investigation published by +972 Magazine and Local Call outlined how Israel has used AI-driven technology to execute mass killings of Palestinian civilians—including men, women, and children—in Gaza.

Although the report did not explicitly name Palantir, several sources indicated that the AI systems referenced in the investigation align with those developed by the American company, which bin Salman has openly partnered with.

According to the findings, Unit 8200 has been using an AI system known as Lavender to designate thousands of alleged Hamas fighters as targets.

Lavender has identified thousands of Palestinians as “suspected combatants” along with their homes as potential airstrike targets since the early days of the war. The Israeli occupation forces reportedly allocate only 20 seconds before approving an attack—primarily to confirm the target is a male.

Despite an acknowledged 10% error rate, Israeli forces have systematically bombed these homes, intentionally killing entire Palestinian families.

AI-Powered Genocide and Saudi Collaboration

Palantir’s CEO, Alex Karp, was asked by French media outlet Le Nouvel Observateur whether his company collaborates with nations that violate human rights, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. His response was telling: “We sell to certain Middle Eastern countries. They have their own ethical standards that do not fully align with ours.”

In 2023, Sanabil Investments, the venture arm of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, announced investments in 40 U.S. tech companies, including Founders Fund, a firm owned by billionaire Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir.

When Thiel was asked in May 2024 at the Cambridge Union about Israel’s use of AI to bomb and kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza, he hesitated before ultimately stating: “I tend to side with Israel.”

The Bottom Line

Palantir has worked closely with the Israeli government and military to turn Palestine into a testing ground for digital militarization.

The company utilizes vast amounts of data collected from occupied Palestinian territories—including emails, phone logs, WhatsApp messages, social media accounts, and GPS locations—to feed predictive targeting systems, which can be operated remotely through user-friendly software.

Despite these atrocities, Mohammed bin Salman continues to collaborate with firms like Palantir under the guise of advancing his Vision 2030 projects. However, the real cost of these collaborations is measured in the innocent lives of Palestinian children and families, sacrificed on the battlefield of high-tech warfare.