US tech giant Microsoft has initiated an “urgent” investigation into allegations that its Azure cloud technology is being used by Israel’s military intelligence unit – Unit 8200 – to conduct mass surveillance of Palestinians. The urgent investigation follows a joint expose done by a team of The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call.

The report claims Unit 8200, which is one of Israel’s prominent national security agencies, has leveraged Microsoft’s Azure platform to store massive archives of intercepted mobile phone calls from Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

What did Microsoft say in the report?

According to the joint report by those organisations, Microsoft’s Israeli office collaborated with the intelligence unit to create a specialised framework within Azure capable of recording “millions of calls per hour.”

In response, Microsoft stated that “using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank” would contradict its terms of service. The tech giant has appointed lawyers from the US firm, Covington and Burling, to oversee the inquiry.

Was there any earlier investigation?

This is the second external review commissioned by Microsoft into its technology’s usage by the Israeli military. The first was launched earlier this year amid internal dissent and media scrutiny, and concluded in May with Microsoft stating “found no evidence to date” that Azure had been used to “target or harm people” in Gaza or that the Israeli military had breached its terms.

Additionally, the latest investigation will dig deeper, with Microsoft acknowledging that The Guardian’s recent report presents “additional and precise allegations that merit a full and urgent review.”

Concerns have also emerged over the close ties between Microsoft’s Israeli office and Unit 8200, with some US tech executives reportedly worried that employees in Israel may have withheld critical information regarding their collaboration with the intelligence unit.

“No Azure for Apartheid” – Who started the campaign?

The internal pressure has intensified through a campaign group led by Microsoft employees, No Azure for Apartheid, which has called for greater transparency and accountability regarding the company’s operations in conflict zones.

Microsoft’s inquiry signals a growing reckoning within the tech industry over the ethical implications of cloud infrastructure in surveillance and military applications.