Amnesty challenges IOF denial of white phosphorus use with evidence
2 Min Read
The Israeli forces had long used various internationally prohibited weapons against civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.
-
IOF soldiers are pictured with artillery shells labeled D528 - the US DoD Identification Code for white phosphorus-based rounds (Twitter / @Marien__R)
Amnesty International has on Saturday presented compelling evidence contradicting the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) denial of using white phosphorus during recent aggressions.
Images obtained by the human rights organization show Israeli forces near the Sderot settlement on October 9 with artillery shells bearing the code D528 [Hyperlink document Page 39 of 216], which corresponds to the US Department of Defense Identification Code for white phosphorus-based rounds.
IDF denies using white phosphorus, but we at @amnesty verified images of Israeli forces on October 9 near Sderot with artillery shells labelled D528 - the US Department of Defense Identification Code for white phosphorus-based rounds.
— Marija Ristić (@Marien__R) October 14, 2023
From Sderot, northern Gaza is within range. https://t.co/Wfaf8d6ju2 pic.twitter.com/fDIZSGMaJt
The Israeli occupation forces had long used various internationally prohibited weapons against civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.
Israeli occupation forces employed white phosphorus bombs in 2006 against Lebanese civilians, in 2008-2009 against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and again in 2014 against civilians in Gaza.
-
Airbursts of white phosphorus from an Israeli artillery-fired shell over the besieged Gaza's port on October 11, 2023 (Mohammed Adeb/AFP)
In all three wars, "Israel" claimed to use phosphorus bombs for illumination purposes.
Read more: IOF murders civilians using white phosphorus, targets medical teams
On Friday, Human Rights Watch confirmed that the Israeli occupation used white phosphorus in its attacks on Gaza and Lebanon on October 10 and 11.
In a Q&A article about white phosphorus, Human Rights Watch expressed concerns about the Israeli occupation's use of phosphorus in military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, highlighting the serious and long-term risks it poses to civilians.
Human Rights Watch substantiated these claims with video evidence from Lebanon and Gaza, which depicted multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the occupied Palestine-Lebanon border.
IOF Spokesperson Peter Lerner later denied the HRW report in an interview with CNN on Friday, saying that "Israel" did not use white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon.
"Categorically, no."
— CNN This Morning (@CNNThisMorning) October 13, 2023
IDF Spokesman @LTCPeterLerner denies HRW report that Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon: pic.twitter.com/6oAHvK7rns
