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The War Profiteers - War Crimes,
Kidnappings & Torture |
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February 15th,
2009 - Gaza Victims Exhibit Possible Signs of White Phosphorous Wounds |
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Gaza Burn Victims Exhibit Possible
Signs of White Phosphorous Wounds By Amira Hass Haaretz February 15, 2009 Gaza - Palestinian doctors
at a number of hospitals in the Gaza Strip informed foreign medical experts
allowed into the area over the past two weeks that they were witnessing an
unexpected deterioration in the condition of their burn victims. They described the same
phenomenon: Two weeks after being injured, the burn victims seemed to be
getting worse, requiring skin grafts abroad. In other instances, internal
tissue was also destroyed. Some of the wounded died a week to 10 days after
being injured, even though they had not appeared to suffer extensive
injuries. The doctors only later discovered that their liver and kidneys had
been affected. But at this point, it was already too late to save many of the
wounded. The precise number of those who suffered burn wounds and then died
is still uncertain. Doctors take care to note
that until the necessary laboratory work is done, they will be unable to
determine with certainty if the burns were caused by the white phosphorus
bombs the IDF dropped during its ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. They are also unable to
state with certainty whether the patients' deterioration and the spread of
infection stemmed directly from being hit with the phosphorus mortars. However researchers from
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, who have spent the past three
weeks in the Gaza Strip, have concluded with certainty that the white
phosphorus bombs struck residential neighborhoods. The initial treatment of the
burns, before the doctors in the Gaza Strip had realized that they were
caused by white phosphorus, was deemed useless. "We had never seen
phosphorus burns before," a veteran foreign surgeon told Haaretz.
"In the [medical] literature, what is known about these burns is what
was done as experiments, in lab conditions, or in military bases, perhaps as
the result of accidents." However, three Israeli
documents Haaretz received, which were written during Operation Lead Cast,
describe the sort of burns caused by white phosphorus and match the
descriptions of the medical personnel in the Gaza Strip. The documents were
prepared by the office of the IDF chief medical officer, the Medical Field
Operations HQ and Magen David Adom. A document bearing the
signature of Dr. Zvi Feinberg, chief of medicine at Magen David Adom, and
Rami Miller, a senior paramedic, writes that "white phosphorus contained
in a bomb or a missile ignites when it comes into contact with oxygen ... the
phosphorus that comes into contact with skin causes serious and deep
burns." Another document, this one
signed by Dr. Gil Hirschorn, who is also a colonel in the army and head of
trauma in the office of the IDF's chief medical officer, states: "During
Operation Cast Lead, intelligence was received that Hamas was making use of
an ordinance that contains phosphorus. Phosphorus is a poisonous substance,
white-yellowish, similar to wax, that is used in mortar shells and hand
grenades. "When the phosphorus
comes in contact with living tissue it causes its damage by 'eating' away at
it. Characteristics of a phosphorus wound are: chemical burns accompanied by
extreme pain, damage to tissue ... the phosphorus may seep into the body and
damage internal organs. In the long run, kidney failure and the spread of
infection are characteristic ... In conclusion: a wound by an ordinance
containing explosive phosphorus is inherently dangerous and has the potential
to cause serious damage to tissue." A document entitled
"Exposure to White Phosphorus," prepared by Medical Field Operations
HQ and sent from the Health Ministry notes that "most of the data on
phosphorus wounds stems from animal testing and accidents. Exposure to white
phosphorus is highly poisonous, according to many lab experiments. Burns
covering a small area of the body, 12-15 percent in lab animals and less than
10 percent in humans, may be lethal as a result of its effects, mostly on the
liver, heart and kidneys." Haaretz visited a number of
homes in the Gaza Strip that show clear signs of being hit by phosphorus
shells. At least one of the children hurt in such an attack will require a
skin graft abroad. In another instance, four children and the father died as
a result of a white phosphorus bombing. External link: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1061720.html |