Amnesty International revealed on Friday that its Crisis Evidence Lab has confirmed the use of white phosphorus artillery rounds by Israeli military units in their strikes on Gaza, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
The rights group stated, “We are investigating what appears to be the use of white phosphorus in Gaza, including in a strike near a hotel on the beach in Gaza City.” White phosphorus, when exposed to air, burns at exceptionally high temperatures and can persistently burn inside flesh, causing excruciating pain and life-altering injuries. Moreover, it cannot be extinguished with water.
Amnesty International emphasized the unsuitability of using white phosphorus in civilian areas, particularly in Gaza, which is one of the most densely populated regions globally. The organization pledged to continue its thorough investigation into these deeply troubling cases and called on Israel to consistently adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to safeguard civilians.
This statement was made shortly after Human Rights Watch (HRW) released findings on Thursday, verifying videos depicting multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over Gaza and Lebanon on October 10-11. HRW expressed concern about the risk posed to civilians by Israel’s use of white phosphorus in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, potentially leading to serious and long-term injuries.
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