Microsoft issued a statement Thursday claiming it found “no evidence” that its technologies were used by the Israeli military to harm civilians in Gaza — despite admitting it cannot monitor how its software is used on private or on-premises military systems.

The tech giant’s remarks, released conspicuously on Nakba Day — which marks the violent dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 — were branded as a cynical PR stunt to whitewash the company’s growing role in military-industrial networks tied to the Israeli occupation. Activists argue that by continuing business with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Microsoft is complicit in war crimes and in the infrastructure of genocide.

The internal and external reviews cited by the company were triggered by months of internal protests from Microsoft employees and the grassroots coalition No Azure for Apartheid, which has accused the corporation of providing tools that power surveillance, targeting, and data infrastructure used in Israeli military operations in Gaza.

“The statement is filled with lies and contradictions,” said Sami Nasr, a former Microsoft employee who was fired after denouncing the company’s ties to the Israeli military. “They simultaneously claim their tech is not being used to harm Palestinians, while also admitting they have no visibility into how it’s used.”

Microsoft said it maintains a “standard commercial relationship” with the Israeli Ministry of Defense — providing cloud services, software, and AI tools such as translation — but insists it has not developed specialized military solutions for Israel. However, critics say this framing ignores the moral gravity of selling any technology to a regime accused by global human rights organizations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

At least 35,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, the vast majority of them women and children, in what international legal scholars have called acts of genocide. Despite this, Microsoft confirmed that it provided “emergency support” to the Israeli government after the October attacks — reinforcing its ties with the very apparatus accused of mass atrocities.

Nasr criticized the company for not once mentioning the word “Palestinian” in its statement, even as it named Israeli institutions and described its support for them. “That still speaks to where Microsoft’s business interests truly lie,” he said.

The timing of Microsoft’s announcement has been described as particularly insulting, coinciding with Nakba Day — the anniversary of the mass expulsion of Palestinians in 1948. Activists say the company’s refusal to engage directly with Palestinian voices or acknowledge their suffering highlights its disregard for the human toll of its partnerships.

“No Azure for Apartheid” plans to escalate its campaign with a major protest at Microsoft’s Build developer conference next week in Seattle. The group says over 1,500 current and former workers have signed a petition demanding the company end its contracts with the Israeli military and disclose all business dealings with Israeli entities.

Despite the outcry, Microsoft’s leadership has shown no intention of breaking ties with Israel, even as employees disrupt company events and accuse executives of profiting from bloodshed.

“Microsoft is selling technology that fuels the U.S. military-industrial complex, mass state surveillance, and occupation in Palestine,” the group stated. “They are active conspirators in the mass death and suffering of Palestinians.”

Microsoft’s review, which did not disclose the identity of the external auditor, was widely viewed by observers as a toothless exercise designed to deflect mounting criticism. “They didn’t speak to us — the people raising the alarm,” Nasr added.

As Gaza endures relentless bombing, famine, and displacement, Microsoft’s statement has done little to stem the outrage. Instead, it has galvanized further calls for tech companies to be held accountable for their role in facilitating modern warfare and apartheid. (ILKHA)