Video From Ukraine Peddled as Israel Dropping White Phosphorus Bombs in Gaza
This video dates back to March 2023 and shows Russian forces attacking Ukraine.
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A video showing bright burning material falling from the sky is going viral to claim that it shows white phosphorus bombs being dropped by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip.
This comes after Human Rights Watch claimed that Israeli forces used white phosphorus in military operations in Lebanon and Gaza on 10 and 11 October 2023, respectively.
How did we find out the truth?: On performing a reverse image search on some of the keyframes of the video, we came across the same video on YouTube from 13 March 2023.
The video was shared by The Telegraph and titled, "Russian shells rain down on Vuhledar as fight for Donbas rages on".
The description stated that Russian forces reportedly targeted the eastern town of Vuhledar by bombing incendiary thermite munitions.
We also found a report by The Sun about this video which mentioned that Russian forces used incendiary bombs which is a mixture of metal powder and metal oxide.
It added that this can burn through steel, concrete and human flesh because of its extremely hot temperature.
What is a white phosphorus bomb and is it legal?: White phosphorus is a solid crystalline material with a waxy texture that darkens upon exposure to light.
According to international laws, white phosphorus shells are prohibited in densely populated civilian areas. However, its use in open spaces as cover for troops is permitted.
Conclusion: An old video from Ukraine is being falsely shared as Israel bombing the Gaza Strip with white phosphorus bombs.
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