In the past six months, Israel has continued to cross the border to launch a white phosphorus bomb to southern Lebanon.White phosphorus is a toxic gas that can damage the eyes and lungs and can cause severe burns, so it is strictly controlled by international law.
The Israeli military said that they have recently used such controversial weapons to use such controversial weapons in Gaza and Lebanon.However, the human rights organization believes that it must be investigated as a war crime.The United States said they would investigate the situation of Israel's white phosphorus bomb in these two regions.
Is the Israeli army illegal in such a place to use this ammunition in such a place that is close to civilians?Or do their rights in the war?
"It floats like white mist, and it becomes powder when landing."
On October 19, 2023, Ali Ahmed Abu Samra, a 48 -year -old farmer in southern Lebanon, said he found that he was swallowed by thick white smoke.
"People say that the smell is like garlic, but it is more unbearable than garlic. This smell is unbearable. It is even more unbearable than sewage." Ali from Dhayra, a southern town, described the white phosphorus attack attackEssence
The burning temperature of the white phosphorus bomb is as high as 815 degrees Celsius, which is extremely flawed and highly toxic.
Ali said: "Tears began to pour out of our eyes. If it wasn't for us to cover our nose with a wet cloth, it might not be able to live today."
Since the reopening of the Fire in the Gaza, the violent conflict between the border between Israel and the Lebanon has been continuously upgraded, resulting in the casualties and thousands of people displaced between the two sides.
The Allah is closely related to Iran, is an ally of Hamas, and one of the most equipped non -national military forces in the world.Almost every day, the true party warrior launched a rocket and drone attack. The Israeli National Defense Force returned with air strikes and heavy artillery, including the use of white phosphorus bombs.
When the white phosphorus is released from the shells, it will react with the oxygen to form a thick smoke screen.This provides almost instant cover for the ground forces to cover the enemy's sight.
It is very effective and under certain conditions is a legal military tactic.However, according to international law, all parties are responsible for protecting civilians in armed conflicts.
When is white phosphorus used for war?
In the last century, the army in most major countries in the world had used white phosphorus bombs.
According to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Soviet Union used white phosphorus bombs during World War II.The United States acknowledged that in Iraq in 2004, it was used again in Syria and Iraq in 2017 again.
Israel also used this kind of chemicals during the offensive period from 2008 to 2009.However, after the United Nations called the Israeli military "systematically use", the Israeli National Defense Force stated in 2013 that it would "remove it from active duty."
Allah armed elements generally act in a team of 2 to 4 people. They use forests as cover, and they often fire missiles and rockets in the Israeli army stationed on the other side of the border.Devouring them with smoke may be a way for Israel to interfere with their targets.
The village where Ali was located was hit from October 10th to 19th, and he said that there was no armed organization in the area at that time.He said: "If the Lord is there, people will let them leave because they don't want to die. There is no real party there."
Can't independently verify whether any armed organization is in Daela.The first to reach Irah was the voluntary medical rescue staff Khaled Qraitem.
He said, "We started to evacuate people who lost their consciousness, but when the rescue team was still working hard to save people, they were attacked by artillery.
"They fired three shells to us." Harchid said, "Either to prevent us from saving people or to create a fear atmosphere." He remembers that at least nine people were transferred to Tyre (Tyre) Italian hospital, including his father, Ibrahim.
65 -year -old Ibrahim was hospitalized for three days due to severe breathing difficulties.His doctor Mohammad Mustafa said he had treated many patients who had exposed to white phosphorus.
"Patients who come to the hospital have symptoms of severe suffocation, sweating, long -term vomiting, and arrhythmia." Dr. Mustafa said, "They have garlic flavors. Their blood results have confirmed white phosphorus."
We went to see Ibrahim three months later, his eyes were still red.His arms and feet were covered with rashes and skin peeling. He said that the doctor told him that it was caused by white phosphorus.
He said: "We have been experiencing war since the 1970s, but not like this time, the explosion is so close to our home."
When he said that when he tried to escape, a cannonball fell away from the car where he was far away from his car. There was an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft of the Israeli National Defense Force on his head, "they saw us, they opened their fire."
International Amnesty Organization said that the attack on Daisla must be investigated as a crime of war, because this is an indifferent attack, causing at least nine civilian injuries and damage to civilian facilities, so it is illegal. "
For those with witnesses, the white phosphorus bomb was used in "wanton" for densely populated areas. The Israeli National Defense Force responded to the reporter: "Instructions of the Israeli National Defense Force, in addition to some exceptions, you must not use smoke in a dense population area.Bomb.
Evidence of White Phosphorus
Ali's village was attacked, related reports appeared online immediately.The Israeli army first denied the use of a white phosphorus bomb, and later turned around and admitted to the use of white phosphorus bombs, but it was said that it was "within the scope of international law."
The reporter conducted a factual verification, and independently verified that in the past six months, it was confirmed that Israel had used white phosphorus bullets in Dhayra and other three villages along the border.
In KFAR KILA in the village in southern Lebanon, the reporter obtained a shell fragmentation between the two private houses and chemically tested.A well -known professor of chemistry analyzed the test results that he had anonymous based on security considerations.
Professor wearing anti -virus masks and a full set of personal protection equipment, checking a few dark viscous substances on the edge of the inner edge of the metal fragments.
He said: "This is part of the 155mm howitzer artillery shells. Marking M825A1 indicates that this is a white phosphorus ammunition. This is made in the United States."
He lit the pieces sticky together with a lighter, and the pieces were burned immediately."Imagine when this material burns and sticks to your skin, and you have to make it from the clothes."
He said that even after 30 days, the remaining white phosphorus could still be ignited.
Khaled Qraitem, an emergency response, accused Israel of deliberately using white phosphorus bombs to drive residents of border areas.
He said: "We had a beautiful rural life. But they began to bomb the forest area with white phosphorus to burn olive trees and avocado orchards."
In response to Hagid's statement, the Israeli National Defense Force responded that the authorities "completely rejected any aboutThe use of smoke screen bombs is to drive Lebanon civilians out of the border. "
Is Israel illegal?
White phosphorus is not defined as chemical weapons, and even the term burning weapon is controversial.
The UN specific conventional weapon convention (CCW) has some restrictions on weapons mainly used to cause fire or burns.However, most countries, including Israel, believe that if white phosphorus is mainly used to make smoke curtains, rather than fires (even if a fire occurs by accident), the law of burning weapons will no longer be applicable.
Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher at the organization, said: "The specific conventional weapon convention does have loopholes, especially in the definition of burning weapons. HoweverFeasible preventive measures to avoid hurting civilians.
Professor Bill Boothby, an independent lawyer and military expert, said that a question of whether Israel violated the international humanitarian law was "evidence conflict."
"Israeli said that their purpose is to make smoke curtains. Villagers said that they did not have any purpose in making smoke screens because there were no militants at that time. Is this the purpose of using white phosphorus? To know the answer to this question, they must have to be the answer to this question.Understand the ideas of those who decide to launch the attack. "
Professor Besby said that "competence" is also critical, and any damage caused by it cannot exceed the expected military interests.
"What we are talking about is that it is necessary to determine that the expected civilian casualties and the damage to civilian facilities are excessive compared to the specific and direct military interests they expected before the attack."
He once again said that this should understand the idea of the decision makers who launch the attack and their goals.When asking the goal of the Israeli National Defense Force in Daela, the other party answered: "These are combat instructions, which are confidential and cannot be disclosed."