What are white phosphorous bombs that Israel is accused of dropping on Gaza?

Amid the ongoing Israeli strikes in Gaza after the dramatic land-sea-air attack by Hamas, several social media videos have emerged, claiming that the Israel Defense Force (IDF) deployed prohibited white phosphorus bombs in the densely populated area.

What

While the Israeli response to Hamas's surprise attack on October 7, 2023, in Gaza continued, 

• a video circulating on social media alleging the use of white phosphorus bombs in densely populated areas has sparked significant controversy.

• Though there hasn’t been any confirmation on whether or not these videos are actually from the recent attacks on Gaza by Israel, the slightest possibility of it being true has stirred a few nerves on the Internet. 

• The usage of these phosphorus bombs are considered a war crime and these bombs hold the capacity of causing large-scale damage. 
• The last time that a country reportedly used this type of bombs was Russia in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. 

What is a phosphorus bomb?

The substance

• White phosphorus is a waxy yellowish chemical with a pungent garlic-like odour.
• It is highly flammable in nature. 
• It has the capacity of illumination and severe damage when exposed to air after being ignited. 
• When ignited, it produces intense heat, light, and dense white smoke.

The use

• White phosphorous bombs are often used in incendiary military weapons worldwide, including in the United States, for various purposes such as target illumination and causing harm to adversaries.
• It is utilised by armed forces to create smokescreens in sensitive areas. 

The effect

• This substance can trigger rapid and widespread ground fires that are challenging to extinguish.
• It clings to various surfaces, such as skin and garments, presenting grave danger to civilians. 
• It has the capacity to induce long-lasting tissue and bone burns, which can relapse despite treatment.

White phosphorous is banned

• The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in 1972, which vowed against the usage of such weapons that inflict unfathomable pain on civilians. 
• By 1980, the world agreed to Protocol III of UN's Prohibitions or Restrictions on the use of Incendiary Weapons treaty, which posed a ban or limit to the usage of any such weaponry.