Human Rights Watch has expressed serious concerns about Israel's use of white phosphorus in its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, stating that it places civilians at risk of severe and long-term injuries. The organization, in a statement published on its website, said that on October 11, verified videos showing multiple airbursts of artillery-fired white phosphorus over the Gaza City port and two rural locations along the Israel-Lebanon border, which took place on October 10 and 11, 2023. Additionally, interviews were conducted with witnesses who described an attack involving white phosphorus in Gaza.

White phosphorus, a substance with both civilian and military uses, can be utilized for marking, signaling, and obscuring, but it can also serve as a weapon to start fires that can cause significant harm to people and structures. The use of white phosphorus in Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas globally, is a particular cause for concern as it increases the risk to civilians and violates international humanitarian law, which prohibits putting civilians at unnecessary risk.