White Phosphorus
Context:
The human rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) recently accused the Israeli military of "unlawfully" hitting the residential village of Yohmor in southern Lebanon with artillery shells containing white phosphorus
What is White Phosphorus?
It is a waxy, chemical solid substance that typically appears yellowish or colourless and has a distinct odour resembling garlic.
It ignites instantly upon contact with oxygen.
Once ignited, it is extremely difficult to extinguish and readily sticks to surfaces such as skin and clothing.
Militaries frequently use it to illuminate battlefields, generate smokescreens, or act as an incendiary weapon.
Health Impacts:
Severe Burns:
When fired into populated areas, the white-hot chemical can set buildings on fire and cause deep, severe burns that penetrate human flesh down to the bone.
Because it reacts with oxygen, the substance can even reignite during or after initial medical treatment.
Toxicity:
It is harmful by all routes of exposure.
The smoke from burning phosphorus contains phosphoric acids and phosphine, making it highly toxic to the eyes and respiratory tract.
Survivors face a high risk of infections, organ failure, or respiratory failure, even if their initial burns are small.
Legality under International Law:
The use of white phosphorus is not entirely illegal.
Using it for battlefield illumination or to create smokescreens is not prohibited.
However, human rights advocates emphasize that its use is illegal when fired into populated civilian areas.
Specifically, Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCCW) restricts its use, prohibiting it when deliberately deployed as an incendiary weapon directly against humans in a civilian setting.