Vaniya Agrawal, an Indian-American software engineer in Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence division, recently gained attention for her public protest against Microsoft’s business dealings with the Israeli government amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. During Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event on April 4, 2025, Agrawal confronted CEO Satya Nadella and former CEOs Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, accusing the company of enabling Israeli military actions through its technology. She stated, “Fifty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been murdered with Microsoft technology. How dare you. Shame on all of you for celebrating on their blood.”
Following her protest, Agrawal sent a company-wide email announcing her resignation, effective April 11, 2025. In the email, she criticized Microsoft’s $133 million contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, alleging that the company’s Azure cloud and AI technologies contribute to surveillance and military operations in Gaza.
This incident is part of broader internal protests at Microsoft regarding its involvement with the Israeli government during the Gaza conflict. Another employee, Ibtihal Aboussad, also protested during the anniversary event, highlighting growing dissent within the company over ethical concerns related to its business contracts