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Human Rights Watch reviewed the video and verified that it was taken in Gaza City’s port and in locations near the Israel-Lebanon border, and identified that the munitions used in the strikes were airburst 155mm white phosphorus artillery projectiles.

The use of white phosphorus in populated areas poses grave risks to civilians, the NGO says. Upon contact, white phosphorus can burn people, thermally and chemically, down to the bone as it is highly soluble in fat and therefore in human flesh. White phosphorus fragments can exacerbate wounds even after treatment and can enter the bloodstream and cause multiple organ failure. Already dressed wounds can reignite when dressings are removed and the wounds are re-exposed to oxygen. Even relatively minor burns are often fatal. For survivors, extensive scarring tightens muscle tissue and creates physical disabilities. The trauma of the attack, the painful treatment that follows, and appearance-changing scars lead to psychological harm and social exclusion.