GAZA, (PIC)
For over a year and a half, the people of Gaza have endured daily hell under relentless Israeli bombardment, with no hesitation in deploying weapons of unprecedented destructiveness.
As the world remains eerily silent, Palestinian civilians are being crushed under tons of internationally banned explosives—victims of a war waged openly and with impunity.
In this tiny, densely populated coastal strip, life has become a series of roaming massacres. Residents face death in every form: burning, bombing, starvation, disease, and freezing temperatures. With repeated use of so-called “non-conventional” weapons, bizarre and horrifying phenomena have been reported—bodies that vanish or are reduced to ash, leaving no trace behind. Experts believe this points to the use of thermal and chemical weapons.
Horrific scenes met with silence
In one of the most harrowing incidents, journalist Ahmad Mansour was struck live on air by Israeli missiles. His body was engulfed in flames, and he screamed in agony until succumbing to his injuries the following day.
In a similar attack, dozens of civilians were shredded into unrecognizable pieces after a shelter in eastern Gaza was targeted. The international community showed no meaningful response.
Fares Afaneh, Director of the Ambulance Unit in the medical services, reported that the weapons in use carry highly penetrating shrapnel, causing extreme mutilation and turning victims into scattered remains—scenes that defy description.
He described instances of decapitated victims and fully charred bodies, suggesting missiles with both thermal and reactive effects on skin and tissue.
Thermobaric bombs and devastating explosions
Among the reported weapons are thermobaric bombs—some of the deadliest explosives in existence.
These weapons disperse a cloud of fuel particles into the air and then ignite it, creating a massive pressure wave and heat surge that can reach up to 3,000°C (5,432°F). Their explosive power is especially lethal in enclosed areas, which is why they are prohibited under international humanitarian law.
Investigative reports, including one by writer Thomas Newdick on The War Zone, revealed images of Israeli Apache helicopters loaded with red-banded munitions—indicating the use of thermobaric “AGM-114N Hellfire” missiles. The images sparked a wave of condemnation, prompting the Israeli military to delete them.
New, deadlier technologies
Other reports point to the use of Dense Inert Metal Explosives (DIME), which cause extreme localized damage within a limited radius—highly lethal in densely populated residential areas.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has called for an independent international committee to investigate the weapons used in Gaza, with a particular focus on thermal weapons that may explain the phenomenon of vaporized bodies.
They cited documented testimonies and field-collected evidence revealing atrocities committed using internationally banned weaponry.
As the heavy Israeli bombardment continues, pressing questions remain about the role of the international community and human rights organizations in protecting civilians and holding war criminals accountable under international law.
A blatant violation of international law
International law explicitly prohibits the use of thermal weapons against civilians, particularly in residential zones.
The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, along with the Geneva Conventions of 1949, all stress the obligation to protect civilians during armed conflict.
Furthermore, the use of such weapons against innocent people constitutes a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Yet despite all of this, Gaza continues to pay the price every day. The world watches in shameful silence as banned weapons claim innocent lives.
