Amid ongoing airstrikes that continue to bombard the Gaza Strip, reports have emerged alleging that Israel used poisonous white phosphorus bombs.
Sharing a video, many social media users claim that Israel dropped banned White Phosphorus bombs on heavily populated districts in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
What is White Phosphorus Bomb?
White phosphorus is a chemical substance dispersed in bombs and other weapons. It ignites as soon as it comes into contact with air and can burn through human flesh. The impact of the bomb is so severe that it can burn a person to the bone.
Apart from it, those who come into contact with it suffer from respiratory damage, infection, and organ failure. Dropping white phosphorus bombs on densely populated civilian areas is considered a war crime, even though it is not banned by the laws of armed conflict.
Casualties in Gaza after Israel bombings
Though, it is not officially confirmed that Israel used banned bombs, the war that erupted after Hamas attacks has so far resulted in the deaths of 700 Israelis and 413 Palestinians.
Since Israel declared war on Hamas a day after the militant group launched an unprecedented surprise attack on southern Israel, the Jewish state has continued to bombard the besieged coastal enclave with airstrikes.
In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have said that they targeted a structure that housed Hamas operatives and several of the militant group’s operational command centers, including a three-floor facility.
