- Human Rights Watch has expressed serious concerns about Israel’s use of white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon, which endangers civilians and violates international humanitarian law.
- The organisation calls for a ban on “airburst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas and the closure of loopholes in Protocol III of the Convention on Conventional hWeapons to protect civilians in conflicts.
In a statement today, Human Rights Watch expressed grave concern about Israel’s use of white phosphorus in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, stating that it endangers the lives of civilians. The organization presented a question and answer document on white phosphorus, verifying video footage from October 10 and 11, 2023, in Lebanon and Gaza. These videos depicted multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two locations along the Israel-Lebanon border. Human Rights Watch also conducted interviews with two individuals who described an attack in Gaza.
White phosphorus, a substance with dual applications for marking, signaling, and obscuring, or as a weapon to set fires, can inflict severe burns on individuals and ignite structures and fields, violating international humanitarian law by placing civilians at unnecessary risk. Its use in densely populated Gaza further exacerbates this danger.
Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, emphasised the risks, stating, ‘Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering.’ Human Rights Watch corroborated the use of white phosphorus in the Gaza City port through video analysis.
Furthermore, Human Rights Watch reviewed videos from October 10 near the Israel-Lebanon border, showing the use of 155mm white phosphorus artillery projectiles for smokescreens, marking, or signaling. White phosphorus ignites on exposure to oxygen and continues to burn, causing extreme heat, light, and smoke. When in contact with people, it can burn down to the bone, worsen wounds, enter the bloodstream, and lead to organ failure, often with fatal consequences.
The organization emphasized that using white phosphorus in densely populated Gaza violates international humanitarian law, particularly when employing airbursting projectiles that spread burning materials over a wide area. Israeli authorities had not commented on their use of white phosphorus during the ongoing conflict.
The use of white phosphorus coincided with hostilities following Hamas’ attacks on October 7 and subsequent rocket attacks, resulting in casualties on both sides. Human Rights Watch has documented Israel’s use of white phosphorus in previous Gaza conflicts, and it called for a ban on “airburst” white phosphorus munitions in populated areas, recommending non-lethal alternatives.
In 2013, Israel had stated it would limit white phosphorus use in populated areas, except in specific circumstances. Attacks with air-delivered incendiary weapons in civilian areas are prohibited under Protocol III of the Convention on Conventional Weapons, although there are loopholes that should be addressed.
Human Rights Watch and several countries have advocated closing these gaps in Protocol III. Palestine and Lebanon are party to the protocol, while Israel has not ratified it. The organisation urged Israel to cease using white phosphorus in populated areas and called on all parties in the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians.
