Gaza War http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-Gaza-2009.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/co...gnify-clip.png
Israel used white phosphorus munitions during the 2009 Gaza War
[24]
The Israeli military used white phosphorus munitions in the
Gaza War.
[25] The
IDF repeatedly denied using white phosphorus munitions but acknowledged use after the war ended.
[26]
Several reports from human right groups during the war indicated that white phosphorus shells were being used by Israel.
[27][28][29] Human Rights Watch said shells exploded over populated civilian areas, including a crowded refugee camp
[30] and a United Nations school where civilians were seeking refuge.
[31] Additionally,
Human Rights Watch said that White phosphorus injuries were suspected in the cases of ten burn victims.
[32]
Human Rights Watch said its experts in the region had witnessed the use of white phosphorus. Kenneth Roth, the organisation's executive director, added: "This is a chemical compound that burns structures and burns people. It should not be used in populated areas."
[33]
Amnesty International said a fact-finding team found "indisputable evidence of the widespread use of white phosphorus" in crowded residential areas of Gaza City and elsewhere in the territory.
[34] Donatella Rovera, the head of an Amnesty fact-finding mission to southern Israel and Gaza, said: "Israeli forces used white phosphorus and other weapons supplied by the USA to carry out serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes."
[35]
On January 14, the newspaper
Haaretz reported that Hamas had fired a White Phosphorus mortar shell which exploded in an open area in the
Eshkol area in the western
Negev of southern Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.
[30]
On 15 January, the United Nations compound, housing numerous refugees in Gaza City, was reportedly struck by Israeli White phosphorus artillery shells, setting fire to pallets of relief materials and igniting several large fuel storage tanks. A UN spokesperson indicated that there were difficulties in attempting to extinguish the fires and stated "You can’t put it [White phosphorus] out with traditional methods such as fire extinguishers. You need sand but we do not have any sand in the compound."
[36][37] Senior Israeli defense officials maintain that the shelling was in response to Israeli military personnel being fired upon by Hamas fighters who were in proximity to the UN headquarters.
[38] The Israeli army is investigating improper use of WP in this conflict, particularly in one incident in which 20 WP shells were fired in a built-up area of
Beit Lahiya.
[39]
On 17 January, Peter Herby, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Arms Unit , confirmed the use of white phosphorous weapons by Israel in Gaza, outlined the rules applicable to phosphorous weapons and explained the ICRC's approach to the issue.
[40]
On January 20, Paul Wood of the
BBC reports from Gaza on what appears to be white phosphorus use near the vicinity of civilian areas. Amnesty team weapon expert Christopher Cobb-Smith, who witnessed the shelling during the conflict, reported "we saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still-burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli army."
[41]
On January 26, the Israel's Ministry of Defence confirmed speculations about the use of white phosphorous in the Israeli-Gaza conflict.
[42][43]
On March 25, 2009,
USA Based Human Rights Organization
Human Rights Watch published a 71 page report titled Rain of Fire,
Israel’s Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza and claimed the Israel's usage of the weapon was illegal.
[44] This 71-page report provides witness accounts of the devastating effects that white phosphorus munitions had on civilians and civilian property in Gaza. Human Rights Watch researchers in Gaza immediately after hostilities ended found spent shells, canister liners, and dozens of burnt felt wedges containing white phosphorus on city streets, apartment roofs, residential courtyards, and at a United Nations school. The report also presents ballistics evidence, photographs, and satellite imagery, as well as documents from the Israeli military and government.
[44]Colonel Lane, military expert testifying in front of the fact-finding mission in July 2009, told that white phosphorous is used for smoke generation to hide from the enemy. He stated that "the quality of smoke produced by white phosphorous is superb; if you want real smoke for real coverage, white phosphorus will give it to you".
[45] Professor Newton, expert in laws of armed conflict testifying in front of the committee, said that in an urban area, where potential perils are snipers, explosive devices and trip wires, one effective way to mask forces' movement is by white phosphorous. In certain cases, he added, such choice of means would be least harmful for civilian population, provided that the use of white phosphorous withstands the proportionality test. He also stressed that the white phosphorous munition is neither chemical nor incendiary weapon.
[45]
The Israeli government released a report in July 2009 that stated that the IDF used white phosphorous in exploding munitions and smoke projectiles. The report stated that the use of exploding munitions were used by Israeli ground and naval forces. The report defended the use of these munition stating that they were only fired on unpopulated areas for marking and signaling and not as an anti-personnel weapon.
[46] The report further says that the main type of munitions containing white phosphorous employed by the IDF during the Gaza Operation was smoke screening projectiles, which are smoke shells containing felt wedges dipped in white phosphorous. The report suggests that the use of smoke obscurants proved to be highly effective at cloaking IDF forces while obstructing enemy lines of sight and that at no time did IDF forces have the objective of inflicting any harm on the civilian population.
[46] 
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