Microsoft’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Washington on March 4 were disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters, including two employees who have since resigned, calling out the tech giant’s alleged involvement in Israeli military operations.

Among them was Vaniya Agrawal, a software engineer from Microsoft’s AI division, who seized the stage in a dramatic act of dissent. Accusing the company of enabling violence in Gaza, she publicly resigned during the event, labeling Microsoft a “digital weapons manufacturer” before being escorted out of the hall.

Agrawal denounced Microsoft’s alleged $133 million deal with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, claiming the company’s AI and Azure cloud services were actively supporting military operations against Palestinians.

“Microsoft cloud and AI enable the Israeli military to be more lethal and destructive in Gaza,” she wrote in a company-wide email shortly after confronting the CEO onstage. “It is undeniable that Microsoft’s Azure cloud offerings and AI developments form the technological backbone of Israel’s automated apartheid and genocide systems.”

She further cited reports linking Microsoft technologies to Israel’s surveillance and warfare infrastructure, adding, “our labor powers this genocide.”

Agrawal, who joined Microsoft in September 2023 after more than three years at Amazon, had been working in its artificial intelligence division. Her protest marked the latest flashpoint in a growing wave of dissent among employees. In February, five staff members were removed from a meeting with CEO Satya Nadella after disrupting it over similar concerns.

Microsoft has yet to respond publicly to either the accusations or Agrawal’s resignation. The anniversary celebration, which had been focused on the company’s advancements in AI and productivity, saw its narrative abruptly shifted by the protest. Following Agrawal’s removal, Bill Gates resumed the program without addressing the incident.