As the war in Gaza grinds on, a new and deeply disturbing claim has emerged: that thousands of Palestinians may have been effectively "erased" by the extreme heat and pressure of powerful munitions.
An investigation aired by Al Jazeera has found that at least 2,842 Palestinians have gone missing since the start of the war in October 2023, with Civil Defence teams suggesting the disappearances may be linked to the alleged use of high-temperature munitions, including thermobaric weapons.
The report, citing data compiled by Gaza's Civil Defence, said the figure is based on what it described as "forensic accounting" at strike locations.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defence, told the news channel that rescue teams follow a "method of elimination" at targeted homes.
"We enter a targeted home and cross-reference the known number of occupants with the bodies recovered," Basal said. "If a family tells us there were five people inside, and we only recover three intact bodies, we treat the remaining two as 'evaporated' only after an exhaustive search yields nothing but biological traces-blood spray on walls or small fragments like scalps."
Israel has not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the report.
What Is A Thermobaric Weapon?
Thermobaric weapons - also known as fuel-air explosives or vacuum bombs - are conventional munitions designed to produce intense heat and a prolonged high-pressure blast wave.
Unlike conventional explosives that contain both fuel and oxidiser in a single casing, thermobaric weapons disperse a fuel cloud that mixes with oxygen in the surrounding air before ignition. This significantly amplifies the explosion.
The term "thermobaric" combines "thermo" (heat) and "baric" (pressure), reflecting the twin destructive effects.
They can be delivered via rockets or air-dropped bombs. Upon impact, an initial charge disperses a cloud of flammable aerosol fuel, which then ignites in a secondary blast, generating temperatures that can reportedly reach up to 3,500 degrees Celsius.
Because the blast wave lasts longer than conventional explosives and can travel into enclosed spaces such as buildings and tunnels, the impact can be especially severe in densely populated urban areas.
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Weapons Identified In The Investigation
The Al Jazeera investigation cited specific US-manufactured munitions allegedly used in Gaza, including MK-84: A 2,000-pound unguided bomb that uses tritonal - a mixture of TNT and aluminium powder - capable of generating extremely high temperatures, BLU-109 bunker buster: Designed to penetrate structures before detonating, creating a large internal fireball, and GBU-39 precision glide bomb: Designed to maintain external structural integrity while causing internal destruction through pressure and thermal effects.
Military expert Vasily Fatigarov told Al Jazeera that thermobaric weapons "do not just kill; they obliterate matter," explaining that aluminium, magnesium and titanium powders are sometimes added to increase temperature and prolong combustion.
Dr Munir al-Bursh, Director General of Gaza's Health Ministry, described the biological impact: "When a body is exposed to energy exceeding 3,000 degrees combined with massive pressure and oxidation, the fluids boil instantly. The tissues vaporise and turn to ash. It is chemically inevitable."
Are Thermobaric Weapons Legal?
Thermobaric weapons are not explicitly banned under international law. However, their use is governed by international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction and proportionality.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about their deployment in densely populated areas, arguing that their wide-area and high-intensity impact increases the risk of civilian casualties.
The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence has previously stated that Russia used thermobaric weapons in Ukraine. Historically, such weapons have been traced back to World War II and were later used by the US in Vietnam.
Legal And Geopolitical Fallout
The investigation also highlighted broader legal concerns. Lawyer Diana Buttu, speaking at the Al Jazeera Forum in Doha, argued that the supply chain of weapons implicates not just Israel but also its Western allies.
"This is a global genocide, not just an Israeli one," she said.
"We see a continuous flow of these weapons from the United States and Europe. They know these weapons do not distinguish between a fighter and a child."
International legal proceedings are ongoing. The International Court of Justice issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering Israel to prevent acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention. The International Criminal Court has also issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel has rejected accusations of genocide and says its military operations target Hamas militants following the Oct. 7 attacks.
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