Amnesty International joined a chorus of voices accusing Israel of war crimes for its use of white phosphorus incendiaries over populated areas of the Gaza Strip.
White phosphorus munitions are used for a variety of roles by military forces. It is commonly used as a smoke screen to mask military movements on the ground. It is also known to cause dramatic burns when in contact with skin.
The use of white phosphorus is not prohibited by international law. Experts say it could form the basis for war crimes charges if it were used indiscriminately over densely populated areas, reports said.
Donatella Rovera with Amnesty International said the extensive use of white phosphorus by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip was “inherently indiscriminate.”
“Its repeated use in this manner, despite evidence of its indiscriminate effects and its toll on civilians, is a war crime,” she said.
Israel freely admitted to using white phosphorus in its three-week campaign against the Hamas-held Gaza Strip, though denied allegations it was used as a weapon against civilian targets.
Human Rights Watch made similar allegations and the United Nations issued statements on the use of white phosphorus as well.