JERUSALEM: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has made troubling allegations against Israel, claiming that it has used white phosphorus munitions in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
HRW argues that deploying such weapons poses significant risks to civilians, potentially causing serious and long-term injuries.
In response to these allegations, Israel’s military has stated that it is “currently not aware of the use of weapons containing white phosphorus in Gaza.” However, they refrained from commenting on the rights watchdog’s accusations related to their use in Lebanon.
Tensions have escalated as Israel has initiated airstrikes on Gaza in retaliation for a recent wave of violence initiated by Hamas in southern Israeli towns, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 1,300 lives. The Palestinian death toll has climbed to at least 1,500. Concurrently, Israel has engaged in verbal exchanges with Lebanon’s Hezbollah group.
Human Rights Watch asserts that they have authenticated video recordings obtained from both Lebanon on October 10 and Gaza on October 11. These videos portray numerous instances of artillery-launched white phosphorus causing airbursts over the Gaza City port and in two remote areas along the Israel-Lebanon border.
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The organization has also shared hyperlinks to a pair of social media videos that, in their interpretation, exhibit the deployment of 155mm white phosphorus artillery projectiles, seemingly employed for generating smoke screens, marking targets, or signaling intentions. Both of these videos document incidents near the Israel-Lebanon border.
However, the organization did not offer links to videos that demonstrate the alleged use of white phosphorus munitions in Gaza. Palestinian television channels have broadcast footage in recent days showing thin plumes of white smoke in the Gaza sky, which they claim were caused by such munitions. The news agency has not independently verified HRW’s claims.
Israel military’s announcement
Notably, Israel’s military announced in 2013 that it was phasing out white phosphorus smokescreen munitions, which it had employed during its 2008-2009 Gaza offensive. The use of white phosphorus during that conflict led to war crimes allegations from multiple human rights groups. Nevertheless, the military did not clarify whether it would also review the use of weaponized white phosphorus, which is primarily designed to incinerate enemy positions.
White phosphorus munitions have legitimate battlefield uses, including generating smoke screens, providing illumination, marking targets, and destroying bunkers and buildings. While white phosphorus is not classified as a chemical weapon under international conventions due to its legal uses, it can cause severe burns and ignite fires.
Under Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, white phosphorus is considered an incendiary weapon. The protocol prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against military targets located among civilians. It’s important to note that Israel has not signed this protocol and is not bound by its restrictions.
