International human rights report documents Israel's use of white phosphorus in southern Lebanon

A joint human rights report by Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School documents 23 incidents of white phosphorus use in southern Lebanon between March and May 2026, warning of its devastating humanitarian impact and calling for a new international treaty to close the legal gap.

A joint human rights report by Human Rights Watch and the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School, titled "Burns Out of Control: The Inhumane Effects of White Phosphorus Munitions and the Need for Stronger Law," documents 23 incidents of white phosphorus use in southern Lebanon between March and May 2026. The report warns of the devastating humanitarian impact of these munitions, including severe burns and long-term psychological, social, and economic damage. It calls for closing the "legal gap" through a new international treaty, noting that the 1980 Protocol III does not explicitly cover white phosphorus. The report draws on a record of repeated use since 2000, including use by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2008 and 2023, and other cases attributed to the International Coalition, Ethiopian forces, and NATO. The report adopts a legal and human rights language in its formulation, with a focus on civilian protection.