WorldTekhno.com – The findings of evidence obtained from video analysis by Human Rights Watch (HRW) that Israel has used white phosphorus in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. According to HRW, the use of phosphorus poses a grave risk to civilians and is clearly against the law.
Human Rights Watch said it verified images taken in Lebanon and Gaza on Tuesday (10/10) and Wednesday (10/11) respectively, showing multiple uses of artillery-fired white phosphorus in the port of Gaza City and two rural locations along Israel’s coast. -Lebanon border.
What is a white phosphorus bomb?
White phosphorus bombs are weapons that use white phosphorus, an allotrope of the chemical element phosphorus. White phosphorus is a white to yellow, transparent, waxy crystalline solid with a strong odour like that of matches or garlic. White phosphorus is a very reactive substance and can self-combust in air.
White phosphorus bombs can be used for two purposes, namely:
1.As an incendiary weapon
When a white phosphorus bomb explodes, it produces extremely hot flames that can burn anything it touches. These fires can last for hours and cause severe burns and even death.
2.As a smoke maker
White phosphorus bombs can be used to create thick clouds of smoke to cover troop movements or obstruct enemy visibility.
The use of white phosphorus bombs in warfare has been banned by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. However, their use in densely populated civilian areas is also prohibited by international humanitarian law.
These are some of the effects of white phosphorus bombs:
- Burns
White phosphorus can cause severe burns and even death. These burns can occur to the skin, eyes and lungs.
Tissue damage. White phosphorus can damage body tissues, including bones, muscles and organs.
- Death
In severe cases, white phosphorus can cause death.
White phosphorus bombs have been used in several wars and conflicts, including World War II, the Vietnam War and the Iraq War.***
