Civilians in southern Lebanon have been injured by Israeli forces using shells containing white phosphorus, according to a report by Amnesty International. The human rights group confirmed that there were three other instances of Israel’s military dropping white phosphorus on Lebanese border areas in the past month, although no harm to civilians was documented in those cases. The use of white phosphorus in populated areas is considered illegal under international law as it can cause severe burns and set buildings on fire. Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure. Amnesty verified photos showing white phosphorus shells next to Israeli artillery near the Lebanon-Israel border after an Israeli strike on October 16 in the town of Duhaira, where houses and cars caught fire and nine civilians were hospitalized due to breathing problems from the fumes. The organization described this incident as an “indiscriminate attack” that harmed civilians and should be investigated as a war crime.
The report from Amnesty is the latest in a series of allegations by human rights groups that Israeli forces have used white phosphorus shells on densely populated residential areas in Gaza and Lebanon during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel claims that it uses the incendiaries only as a smokescreen and not to target civilians. The Israeli military stated earlier this month that the main type of smokescreen shells it uses do not contain white phosphorus, but did not rule out its use in certain situations. The military has not yet responded to inquiries about Amnesty’s statement.
Amnesty also verified cases of white phosphorus shelling in the border town of Aita al Shaab and over open land close to the village of al-Mari, which caused wildfires. The United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, UNIFI, was called in to assist with firefighting efforts as local firefighters were unable to approach the front lines.
Similar allegations of white phosphorus shelling in a populated area of the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war have been reported by Amnesty and Human Rights Watch, although civilian injuries have not been confirmed. Doctors in Gaza hospitals have observed burn wounds that they believe were caused by white phosphorus, but they lack the capacity to conduct tests for it.
Back in 2013, the Israeli military announced that it would cease using white phosphorus in populated areas in Gaza, except in specific undisclosed circumstances, following a petition to the Israeli High Court of Justice. However, this decision was not publicly disclosed and did not mark an official change in policy.
This article includes contributions from Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem.
