The UN's accusation that Israel used white phosphorus shells

The UN's accusation that Israel used white phosphorus shells in its attack on its headquarters in Gaza was the first direct charge by an international body and, in effect, accuses the Israeli government of lying over its repeated declaration that its forces adhere to international laws in the use of arms.
The attack on the UN headquarters in Gaza City has been internationally condemned. Any proof that white phosphorus shells were used would add to the call for Israel's military forces to be charged with war crimes.
Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), claimed within hours of the attack that three such shells were responsible for injuries to three of its employees. While it is not illegal to use different types of white phosphorus shells as a tactical weapon – usually to create a smokescreen ahead of advancing troops or for illumination at night – the Geneva Treaty of 1980 specifically bans it use in densely populated areas because it can cause severe burns.

Kim Sengupta
The independent