Description

White phosphorus as a Weapon

Description: Explore the use of white phosphorus munitions in armed conflicts, their impact on human health and infrastructure, and the legal regulations surrounding their use.

Global human rights organisations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of using white phosphorus munitions in Gaza and Lebanon, in violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which lays down the responsibilities of states and non-state groups in an armed conflict.

White phosphorus is a pyrophoric that ignites when exposed to oxygen, producing thick, light smoke as well as intense 815-degree Celsius heat. Pyrophoric substances are those which ignite spontaneously or very quickly (under five minutes) when in contact with air.

Controversial Uses

White phosphorus is dispersed in artillery shells, bombs, and rockets. It can also be delivered via felt (textile) wedges soaked in the chemical.

• Smoke Screening: White phosphorus is commonly used for creating smoke screens on the battlefield. This application is generally considered legitimate as it serves to obscure troop movements and protect soldiers from enemy fire.

• Incendiary Weapons: Its use as an incendiary weapon is more contentious. When white phosphorus comes into contact with human flesh, it can cause severe and painful burns. The substance continues to burn until deprived of oxygen, making it particularly lethal.

• Urban Warfare: In urban warfare, where civilian populations are at risk, the use of white phosphorus has caused significant collateral damage, sparking outrage and accusations of war crimes.

Impact

Upon exposure, white phosphorus can cause severe burns, often down to the bone. The burns are excruciatingly painful, difficult to heal, and susceptible to infections. Particles of white phosphorus that remain lodged the body can reignite if in contact with air. According to HRW, white phosphorus burns on even 10 per cent of the body can be fatal.

Inhaling white phosphorus particles or smoke can cause respiratory damage and harm to internal organs. Those who survive initial injuries often experience a lifetime of suffering — with impaired mobility and painful, horrific scars.

White phosphorus can also devastate infrastructure and property, damage crops and kill livestock, with raging fires, especially in windy conditions.

Legal status

White phosphorus munitions are not under a blanket ban, though their use is regulated under the IHL.

It is not considered a chemical weapon because its operational utility is primarily due to heat and smoke, rather than toxicity. Thus, its use is governed by the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), specifically Protocol III, which deals with incendiary weapons. Palestine and Lebanon have joined Protocol III, while Israel has not ratified the protocol.

While Protocol III prohibits the use of airdropped incendiary weapons in “concentrations of civilians”, it has two significant loopholes.

First, it restricts some but not all use of ground-launched incendiary weapons where there are concentrations of civilians. 

Second, the protocol’s definition of incendiary weapons covers weapons that are “primarily designed” to set fire to and burn people, and thus arguably excludes multipurpose munitions such as those containing white phosphorus, which are considered to primarily be “smoking” agents.

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