Israel uses white phosphorus in Gaza, video shows
Washington PostOct 13, 2023
Human Rights Watch: Israel Used White Phosphorus Munitions in Gaza and Lebanon
The Facts
Israel has used white phosphorus munitions in recent attacks on both Gaza and Lebanon, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report issued Thursday.
While the use of white phosphorus — a self-igniting chemical that burns at extremely high temperatures — is permitted under international law when used on battlefields, its use against a civilian population is generally considered a war crime.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Gaza is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Israel's use of white phosphorus is clearly a war crime in this context, violating international law on unnecessarily putting civilians at risk of harm.
Nerd narrative
There is a 30% chance that a state-based conflict between Israel and Iran will cause at least 1,000 deaths before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.