Human Rights Watch: Israel using white phosphorous 'unlawfully' in Gaza

Human Rights Watch has warned that Israel is using white phosphorous "unlawfully" in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, citing the risk it poses to civilians.

The rights group said it had verified footage taken in both regions over the past week which showed multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the port of Gaza City, as well as two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border.

“Any time that white phosphorus is used in crowded civilian areas, it poses a high risk of excruciating burns and lifelong suffering,” said Lama Fakih, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, in a statement.

“White phosphorous is unlawfully indiscriminate when airburst in populated urban areas, where it can burn down houses and cause egregious harm to civilians.”