On 25 September, the Guardian reported that Microsoft had terminated the Israeli military’s access to technology used to operate a surveillance system – one which collected millions of civilian phone calls every day in Gaza and the West Bank. Microsoft confirmed it has has "ceased and disabled a set of services to a unit within the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD)".

Gayatri Khandhadai, Head of Technology and Human Rights, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, said: “This is a significant move. Microsoft has finally terminated an Israeli military unit's access to a set of its Azure services, which were being used for the mass surveillance of Palestinians. As one of the most influential tech companies, Microsoft has shaped how we learn, work and connect. But this case makes plain what has become increasingly impossible to ignore: the line between civilian and military technology has all but disappeared. This is what happens when an industry normalises weak or absent due diligence practices: complicity becomes inevitable.

“We welcome this necessary and overdue step. Just last week, A UN commission concluded that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. In this context, tech companies, like arms companies, play a decisive role in exacerbating the devastating toll on civilians. They also have a clear responsibility not to contribute to this flagrant violation of international law.

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has been consistently tracking developments and allegations linking companies to violations in Gaza since 2023.

“The message to the tech sector is clear: knowing all too well that they cannot conduct meaningful human rights due diligence in this context, the only responsible course is to exit and end commercial relations that risk contributing to atrocity crimes.

“We commend the journalists and human rights defenders who reported on Microsoft’s links to Israeli military surveillance, the workers who protested despite huge personal and professional costs, and the shareholders who fulfilled their responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles by pressing Microsoft to act.

“The lesson must now extend further. Other major tech companies, including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Cisco and OpenAI, each of whom are facing serious allegations of complicity, must follow suit. The time to act is now.”

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Notes to editors:

• Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) is a global organisation working at the intersection of business and human rights. With partners and allies worldwide, we seek to put human rights at the heart of business to deliver a just economy, climate justice, and end abuse.
• Microsoft company page: BHRRC stores news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. When an allegation of misconduct has been raised against a company, and we have found no evidence of a public response to the concerns, we invite the company to respond and publish any response we receive from the company. All of this information can be found on the company's dedicated page.