Last week, Human Rights Watch slammed Israel for what it alleged was the “unlawful” use of white phosphorus in its Gaza operation. HRW’s accusation has been now countered from an unlikely source.

AP reports:

The International Red Cross said Tuesday that Israel has fired white phosphorus shells in its offensive in the Gaza Strip, but has no evidence to suggest it is being used improperly or illegally…”In some of the strikes in Gaza it’s pretty clear that phosphorus was used,” Peter Herby, head of of the organization’s mines-arms unit told The Associated Press. “But it’s not very unusual to use phosphorus to create smoke or illuminate a target. We have no evidence to suggest it’s being used in any other way.”