New Microsoft platform uses AI to preserve Oct 7 testimonies

Engineers from Microsoft’s Israel Office and the Israeli nonprofit organization Edut 710 on Monday launched an AI-based platform designed to conserve testimonies of survivors of the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack.

The grassroots organization Edut 710 consists of scholars, documentary filmmakers and mental health professionals who have documented the events of the massacre in southern Israel last October, which resulted in the murder of 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of 251.

Edut 710 co-founder, Ittai Ken-Tor, stressed the importance of cooperating with Microsoft on this important preservation project.

“Collaborating with the amazing employees at Microsoft has allowed us to take another step forward in our commitment to the survivors, their stories, and society at large, ensuring that these testimonies reach a wide audience and are not just preserved in archives,” Ken-Tor explained. “The platform reflects our belief in presenting a broad range of perspectives and empowering each individual to interpret the events in their own way, rather than following a dictated narrative.”

The cooperation has resulted in an advanced online platform where users can search for information regarding survivor testimonies. The AI platform generates a customized PowerPoint presentation that is based on the selected features and information.

Ady Mor-Biran, director of Microsoft Garage – Middle East & Africa stated: “This project exemplifies the power of technological innovation, particularly AI, in serving the community, and emphasizes our commitment to remembering and honoring the victims and survivors of the events of October 7th.”

The platform currently exists in Hebrew and English, enabling individuals worldwide to learn about the Oct. 7 atrocities and visit the sites virtually.

“We are deeply moved by the ability of users to send personal thanks to the survivors whose testimonies they heard,” said Ken-Tor. “From our experience and consultations with experts, we know how significant this is for them.”

He said the company aims to “improve the platform and expand it to more languages over the coming year.”

Last November, just weeks after the Oct. 7 mass terror attack, the project “Mapping the Massacres” was launched. The site was also designed to inform a worldwide audience about the unprecedented Hamas attack using interactive geo-visualized maps. The site “strives to provide a comprehensive representation of the atrocities committed by Hamas on that day.”

“This interactive map serves as a reflection and an educational tool, promoting awareness of the gravity of the horrors,” the educational website states.

Footage from body cameras worn by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 captured graphic evidence of the atrocities committed against soldiers and civilians during the attack. Initially, these videos were shared on social media. However, as international outrage grew, Hamas leadership began to deny the activities, despite the documentation and reports showing terrorists invading the border and targeting civilians. The footage revealed that men, women and children had been shot in cold blood or, blown up with grenades and in some instances, bound, burned, and dismembered. Other forms of extreme violence, included systematic rape as a means of terror.

Footage from body cameras worn by Hamas militants on October 7 captured graphic evidence of atrocities committed against both soldiers and civilians during the attack. Initially, these videos were shared on social media by the militants themselves. However, as international outrage grew, Hamas leadership began denying these actions, despite extensive documentation showing militants crossing the border and deliberately targeting civilians. The footage revealed harrowing scenes where men, women, and children were shot in cold blood or blown up with grenades, while others were discovered bound, burned, dismembered or subjected to other forms of extreme violence, including systematic rape as a means of terror.

In late October 2023, former Israeli Government Spokesman Eylon Levy described this as a Holocaust denial-like phenomenon.

“As we work to defeat the terror organization, we are witnessing a Holocaust denial-like phenomenon evolving in real-time as people are casting doubt on the magnitude of the atrocities Hamas committed against our people and, in fact, recorded in order to glorify this violence,” Levy said.

The preservation of survivor testimonies is crucial in the ongoing battle against the widespread denial of Hamas’ Oct. 7 atrocities and the intentional acts of genocide committed by the Palestinian terror group in Gaza.