Human Rights Watch (HRW), a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works to protect human rights, reported that the Israeli government used “white phosphorus” bombs in operations in civilian areas in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. The highly toxic and flammable substance can cause serious burns to humans.
In a statement, the company analyzed videos taken in both locations showing explosives being thrown during airstrikes on Gaza’s port and two rural communities on the IsraelLebanon border.
“When white phosphorus is used in populated civilian areas, there is a high risk of horrific burns and lifelong suffering for victims,” said Lama Farik, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
The company also said it interviewed two people who described the airstrikes last Wednesday (11) in the alMina region of the Gaza Strip. According to the statement, both said they saw airstrikes followed by explosions in the sky and “white lines” heading toward Earth. According to HRW, the descriptions fit the characteristics of this type of attack.
What is white phosphorus?
White phosphorus is an extremely unstable and flammable chemical substance. It burns when it comes into contact with oxygen and continues to burn until all the oxygen is used up. The chemical reaction can generate intense heat with temperatures exceeding 800°C.
When the substance comes into contact with the human body, it can burn to the bone and wounds can become infected again even after treatment, increasing suffering and pain. White phosphorus fragments can enter the bloodstream and cause death from multiple organ failure.
Israel has already used white phosphorus
According to Human Rights Watch, Israeli forces have used white phosphorus in their operations in the Gaza Strip since at least 2009. The document also states that the military was questioned by Israeli courts in 2013 about its use of the substance and that it committed to halting the use of white phosphorus in military operations in populated areas with the exception of two situations, namely: the judges disclosed.
“In the court decision, Judge Edna Arbel said the conditions would ‘make the use of white phosphorus extremely exceptional in very special circumstances,'” the HRW report said.
Russian troops who invaded Ukraine early last year were also blamed for the use of white phosphorus. In May this year, the government of Volodymyr Zelensky accused Vladimir Putin of attacking the city of Bakhmut with the substance.
Is white phosphorus banned?
White phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon and can even be used in war situations, particularly to create a smokescreen for troop operations, for example.
However, Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons prohibits their use in areas inhabited by civilians precisely because of their ability to cause serious burns to people.
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