The New York-based rights group, Human Rights Watch (HRW), has found evidence of Israel using white phosphorus in some residential areas of Lebanon, earlier this month, Al Jazeera has reported.
Use of white phosphorus in populated areas is in direct violation of international humanitarian law. HRW released a report on Monday, saying that the group has authenticated at least seven pictures, showing us the use of white phosphorus in residential areas.
The residential area affected has been identified as Yohmor, in southern Lebanon. HRW says that the use of the substance triggered fires in at least two residential houses.
“The Israeli military’s use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming, and will have dire consequences for civilians,” Ramzi Kaiss, a Lebanon-based researcher with HRW, has said, while explaining that the incendiary effects of white phosphorus can cause death or cruel injuries, resulting in lifelong suffering.
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White phosphorus does not meet the requirement under international humanitarian law to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm. Its airburst use is unlawfully indiscriminate.
White phosphorus is inflammable when exposed to oxygen, and can set anything it comes in contact with to fire, including homes, agricultural areas and humans. HRW has found that Israel has used white phosphorous munitions over concentrations of civilians.
“It has resulted in fires breaking out in homes and other civilian property in Yohmor,” HRW has said, adding that HRW has verified and geolocated an image posted online by Lebanese media on the morning of March 3.
The image, HRW has maintained, showed at least two artillery-delivered white phosphorus munitions being airburst over a residential neighbourhood. HRW has analysed the shape of the smoke cloud caused by airbursts, and verified that it was consistent with the “knuckle” made by expelling and bursting artillery projectiles that contain white phosphorus.
Geolocated pictures, showing workers extinguishing fires on residential rooftops and in a car, have also been verified. “Israel should immediately halt this practice and states providing Israel with weapons, including white phosphorus munitions, should immediately suspend military assistance and arms sales and push Israel to stop firing such munitions in residential areas,” Kaiss said.
HRW has urged Israel’s key allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, to suspend military sales to Israel and impose targeted sanctions on officials credibly implicated in grave crimes.
Israel had already used white phosphorus between October 2023 and May 2024 across border villages in southern Lebanon, the organisation said, putting civilians at grave risk.
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