What does white phosphorus do? Legality and effects on humans explored as Israel comes under fire over Gaza video

Claims of Israel deploying white phosphorus bombs during military operations in Gaza and Lebanon have gone viral online. Videos show bomb attacks that include bright white smoke, allegedly artillery-fired phosphorus destroying buildings, and reportedly harming civilians.

Netizens online have been left distressed by the news as the substance is considered an incendiary weapon under Protocol III of the Convention on the Prohibition of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, and use of this toxic substance in areas with a civilian population is prohibited under the United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) was the first to share that white phosphorus bombs were allegedly being used in warfare by Israel. They noted that the substance was fired over the Gaza City port and two other areas along the Israel-Lebanon border on October 10 and 11, respectively.

HRW interviewed two people by phone who were in Gaza City. The latter claimed that they saw consistent strikes of white lines going earthwards between 11:30 pm and 1 pm on October 11.

Al Jazeera posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Euro-Med Monitor also found evidence that Israel was using the toxic chemical in Gaza. They added a tweet that showed the bombs allegedly attacking a tall building and emitting large clouds of white smoke. At the time of writing this article, the aforementioned tweet had amassed nearly 60K views.

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Why is white phosphorus toxic?

For those unfamiliar, white phosphorus is a chemical made of phosphate-containing rocks. The yellow or white unstable chemical can catch fire just 10-15 degrees above room temperature when surrounded by oxygen.

It is mostly used to make products like rat poison, fertilizer, metal alloys, and computer chips. The substance is occasionally used for military ammunition as well as to create smokescreens, mark targets, and incinerate the enemy.

According to Aljazeera, this chemical weapon is not banned under international law. However, states are required to take precautionary measures to ensure that the chemical is not used to harm civilians. As per the United Nations Convention on Conventional Weapons, its use near civilians is prohibited, although Israel is not bound by it as it is not a signatory.

White phosphorus bombs are more dangerous than conventional bombs due to their destructive and unstable tendencies. They can cause immensely painful burns, which can range from second to third degrees. Sometimes smoke can be observed coming out of the injury as the substance continues to burn.

As the chemical can easily be absorbed inside the body, it can cause serious symptoms and harm the kidneys, liver, and heart. In severe cases, it can also lead to death. One can suffer from stomach cramps as soon as they come into contact with the substance. This can lead to damaging one’s internal organs, including the central nervous system. Breathing problems are also prevalent when one comes in close contact with the chemical substance.

According to CNBCTV, even 10% of the incendiary weapon burns can lead to death. Those who suffer from white phosphorus bombings can experience a lifetime of mobility issues and psychological trauma.

Speaking about Israel's use of the chemical munition, Lama Fakih, HRW’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement on Wednesday, October 11,

"Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering. White phosphorus is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”

Agreeing with HRW, Brian Castner, a weapons investigator with Amnesty International, said,

“There are legitimate uses of white phosphorus, for marking and screening, but they are very, very few. White phosphorus should never be used in densely populated areas, and Gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world," Castner told Al Jazeera.

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Israel denied using chemical munition in Gaza

On Friday, October 13, the Israeli military said in a statement that they were not using the chemical in Gaza. They said:

“The current accusation made against the IDF regarding the use of white phosphorus in Gaza in unequivocally false.”

This is not the first time Israel has used the toxic chemical. During their 2008–2009 Operation Cast Lead, nearly 200 white phosphorous munitions were launched into populated areas of Gaza.

In 2013, the Israeli military vowed not to use the chemical in populated areas unless there was an exceptional circumstance.