Jerusalem– In a startling development, Human Rights Watch has alleged that Israel employed white phosphorus munitions in its recent military operations in both Gaza and Lebanon. The deployment of these munitions, which have the potential to cause serious and long-term harm to civilians, has raised concerns about the safety of those residing in the affected areas.
When questioned about these allegations, Israel’s military issued a response stating that it was “currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorus in Gaza.” No comment was provided regarding the use of these munitions in Lebanon.
The ongoing conflict stems from Israel’s retaliation for a series of attacks by Hamas in southern Israeli towns, which resulted in the tragic loss of at least 1,300 lives in the past week. The Palestinian death toll has now exceeded 1,500, while Israel has been engaged in a war of words with Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
Human Rights Watch claims to have authenticated videos captured on October 10 in Lebanon and October 11 in Gaza, showing “multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.” The organization has shared links to two videos posted on social media platforms, where 155mm white phosphorus artillery projectiles are depicted being used for smokescreens, marking, or signaling purposes, near the Israel-Lebanon border.
Though the organization has not provided links to videos demonstrating the alleged use of white phosphorus munitions in Gaza, Palestinian TV channels have aired footage in recent days, showing thin plumes of white smoke in the Gaza sky, which they attribute to these munitions.
It is important to note that this newspaper was unable to independently verify the claims made by Human Rights Watch.
Israel’s military had announced back in 2013 that it was phasing out white phosphorus smokescreen munitions following their utilization in the 2008-2009 Gaza offensive, which led to war crimes allegations from various human rights groups. At the time, the military did not specify whether it would also reconsider the use of weaponized white phosphorus, designed for incinerating enemy positions.
White phosphorus munitions are legally permissible on battlefields for creating smoke screens, providing illumination, marking targets, or destroying bunkers and structures. However, despite their legal uses, white phosphorus can inflict severe burns and ignite fires.
Under Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, white phosphorus is classified as an incendiary weapon. This protocol forbids the use of incendiary weapons against military targets situated among civilians, although it’s important to note that Israel is not a signatory to this protocol and therefore not bound by its provisions.
This latest revelation has added a layer of complexity to an already volatile situation in the region, and it remains to be seen how this development will impact the ongoing conflict.
