Found at Haaretz.com news flash, a page which is frequently updated, apparently quoting Israeli channel 10:
Gaza militants fire phosphorus bomb into w. Negev for first time, no injuries
(updated) Full article from Haaretz found here.
Background, Iranian and later other (corrupt) agencies, accused Israel of usage of such bombs - Israel denied:
Israel denies using bombs that cause deep burns (unfortunately, right after the headline, the article starts with a propagandist description of Arab suffering and allegations against Israel)
With a hat tip to gateway pundit, confederateyankee provides evidence to counter anti Israel false allegation:
Another Leftist/Islamist Lie Up In Smoke - a discussion of different WP types and evidence as to Israeli usage of relevant weapons.
Red Cross Confirms the Obvious: Israeli White Phosphorus Smoke Shells Used Legally in Gaza; Hamas Docs Continue Propaganda Efforts - continueing to disprove anti-Israel propaganda.
Guess who else is taking part in this anti-Israel propaganda campaign? CNN! Including usage of fauxtogrpahy and staged videos.
We now know why the lie was spread - to excuse Iran's proxy usage of this weapon against Israeli civilian population.
About this weapon: Wikipedia, White phosphorus (weapon)
This weapon was fired deliberatly at a non military target, a civilian one.
Guess what the UN is not going to condemn or react to? A severe war crime:
Under the Geneva Conventions, which are the statutory implementation of the customary laws of war, it is forbidden to deliberately attack civilians or bona-fide civilian structures, dwellings, and places used for civilian purposes, such as hospitals, religious structures, and schools. It therefore follows that the use of any form of weapon to deliberately attack civilians or deliberately attack unquestionably civilian targets unoccupied by military forces is a war crime, and in violation of the laws of war.
Again, now we know why the Iranian and Lebanese press had been propagating a story where IDF was supposedly bombing Gaza with such bombs. Because Iran's proxy, Hamas - actually did do exactly that. If IDF had used the bombs, and the official statement is that they didn't, but if they did - and only in a stage where it was used to produced smoke - it was with accordance to international law as follows:
the use against military targets outside civilian areas is not explicitly banned by any treaty.
Is white phosphorous considered WMD (as my title suggested)? It's main military use is to create smoke - in the battle field this is used by the attacking force to disguise movements of forces and gives the side better equipped with heat based sensors an advantage in identifying enemy movements.
When used directly against civilians though, here are it's affect:
White phosphorus can cause injuries and death in three ways: by burning deep into tissue, by being inhaled as a smoke, and by being ingested. Extensive exposure in any way is fatal.
Effects of exposure to WP weapons
Incandescent particles of WP cast off by a WP weapon's initial explosion can produce extensive, deep (second and third degree), burns. Phosphorus burns carry a greater risk of mortality than other forms of burns due to the absorption of phosphorus into the body through the burned area, resulting in liver, heart and kidney damage, and in some cases multi-organ failure.[23] These weapons are particularly dangerous to exposed people because white phosphorus continues to burn unless deprived of oxygen or until it is completely consumed. In some cases, burns are limited to areas of exposed skin because the smaller WP particles do not burn completely through personal clothing before being consumed. According to GlobalSecurity.org, quoted by The Guardian, "White phosphorus results in painful chemical burn injuries"
Exposure and inhalation of smoke
Burning WP produces a hot, dense white smoke. Most forms of smoke are not hazardous in the kinds of concentrations produced by a battlefield smoke shell. Exposure to heavy smoke concentrations of any kind for an extended period (particularly if near the source of emission) does have the potential to cause illness or even death.
WP smoke irritates the eyes and nose in moderate concentrations. With intense exposures, a very explosive cough may occur. However, no recorded casualties from the effects of WP smoke alone have occurred in combat operations and to date there are no confirmed deaths resulting from exposure to phosphorus smoke.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has set an acute inhalation Minimum Risk Level (MRL) for white phosphorus smoke of 0.02 mg/m³, the same as fuel oil fumes. By contrast, the chemical weapon mustard gas is 30 times more potent: 0.0007 mg/m
Oral ingestion
The accepted lethal dose when white phosphorus is ingested orally is 1 mg per kg of body weight, although the ingestion of as little as 15 mg has resulted in death.[26] It may also cause liver, heart or kidney damage.[23] There are reports of individuals with a history of oral ingestion who have passed phosphorus-laden stool ("smoking stool syndrome")
This incident proves beyond doubt, there is no reasoning with Hammas, any cease fire will only introduce even worse weapons to be used against Israeli civilian population. This operation must end with the complete destruction of all of Hamas' infrastructure regardless of what will follow the completion of the operation.
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