Director Kaouther Ben Hania has stated the project stems from feeling 'helpless' and 'complicit,' with the explicit goal to 'amplify her voice,' 'bear witness,' 'provoke empathy,' and expose the 'Kafkaesque machine of the Occupation' from a Palestinian perspective. This activist framing makes the narrative's focus on systemic barriers, failed coordination, and civilian helplessness under Israeli military actions the central conflict, presenting Palestinian victimhood without broader context as the story's foundation. Such an approach functions as ideological messaging that prioritizes one-sided emotional manipulation over balanced storytelling, turning the audio device and rescue impossibility into tools for advancing a partisan view of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Palestinian actors portray the volunteers, reinforcing the selective lens. Reception reflects this divide, with progressive acclaim including a Venice standing ovation and high critic scores contrasted against accusations of propaganda and emotional manipulation from pro-Israel critics, highlighting how the activist intent compromises entertainment value by design.