Watan-The Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip reported that more than 2,800 martyrs had their bodies evaporated. What type of weapon can cause such evaporation, and what are its effects on the victim’s body if it does not kill them instantly?
Major Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza, stated on Monday that “the number of martyrs whose bodies were evaporated, leaving no trace due to Israeli bombing, has reached 2,842.”
In a press conference held in central Gaza, he confirmed that Civil Defense teams across the region continue to retrieve decomposing bodies of dozens of martyrs from under the rubble or streets, which were initially inaccessible due to Israeli bombing, the extent of destruction, and limited resources, especially the lack of heavy equipment.
He added, “Our teams in all governorates of the Gaza Strip have retrieved the bodies of over 38,000 martyrs and more than 97,000 injured from locations, homes, and buildings targeted by Israel since the beginning of the war on Gaza on October 7, 2023.”
Major Basal called for allowing Arab and international Civil Defense teams into the besieged area to assist in searching for over 10,000 martyrs whose bodies remain under the rubble.
According to a report by the Palestinian Media Center in early December 2024, the Israeli occupation used internationally banned weapons that incinerate bodies to the point of evaporation.
The report noted that “thousands of martyrs perished due to bombs of unknown types, which dissolve and evaporate bodies due to the intense heat produced during explosions, reducing bodies in the blast’s epicenter to minuscule particles invisible to the naked eye that dissipate into the air and soil.”
The Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Munir al-Barsh, stated that the Israeli army used unknown weapons in the northern Gaza Strip that caused bodies to evaporate.
In multiple press statements, al-Barsh confirmed that entire families disappeared after being bombed with such weapons, with no remains found by Civil Defense teams.
Among the weapons used are high-explosive bombs that produce “terrifying” sounds, which cause evaporation within 200–300 meters of proximity.
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At What Temperature Does the Human Body Evaporate?
There is no definitive scientific answer to this question, but the temperatures required for cremation typically range between 800 and 1,000 degrees Celsius. The intense heat in cremation chambers breaks down the body into basic chemical compounds, leaving gases, ashes, and metallic fragments.
Various data suggest that temperatures between 1,500 and 3,000 degrees Celsius, combined with intense pressure from explosions, could be sufficient to evaporate a body.
This suggests that body evaporation in Gaza is caused by weapons that raise the targeted area’s temperature above 1,500 degrees Celsius while exerting significant pressure on the body. This points to the use of thermobaric or vacuum bombs.
What Are Thermobaric Bombs?
Thermobaric bombs, also known as vacuum bombs or fuel-air explosives, consist of a fuel container with two separate explosive charges. According to a BBC report, they can be launched as rockets or dropped from aircraft.
When they hit their target, the first charge disperses the fuel into a widespread cloud, penetrating any openings or defenses in unsealed buildings. The second charge ignites the cloud, producing a massive fireball, a powerful shockwave, and a vacuum that sucks out all surrounding oxygen. This weapon can destroy fortified buildings, equipment, and people.
Thermobaric weapons are used in various contexts and come in sizes ranging from small handheld devices like grenades to large air-dropped munitions designed to kill defenders in caves and tunnel complexes. Their effects are even more devastating in enclosed spaces.
In 2003, the U.S. tested a 9,800-kilogram bomb nicknamed the “Mother of All Bombs.” Four years later, Russia developed a similar device called the “Father of All Bombs,” which produced an explosion equivalent to a 44-ton conventional bomb, making it the largest non-nuclear explosive device in the world.
Due to their destructive impact, thermobaric bombs are primarily used in urban environments, such as Gaza.
In an April 30, 2024 statement, the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor called for an international investigation into Israel’s possible use of internationally banned weapons, including thermobaric bombs. These weapons reportedly operate by using small conventional explosives to create a cloud of highly flammable particles or droplets. A second device ignites the cloud, generating extremely high temperatures of up to 2,500 degrees Celsius, causing severe burns to the skin and internal organs and fully incinerating or evaporating bodies, particularly in areas where the explosion cloud is densest.
The Monitor added that investigators must identify the exact type of weapon used. Preliminary estimates suggest some bodies may also have turned to ash over time due to conditions created by thermobaric bombs.
There is also speculation that body evaporation may be caused by phosphorus bombs, which reports suggest Israeli forces use extensively. These incendiary weapons, containing white phosphorus, are designed to generate extreme heat—around 1,000 degrees Celsius—alongside their destructive capacity.
Effects of Thermobaric Bombs on Health
If a person does not die or evaporate immediately in a thermobaric bomb explosion, they are likely to experience severe health consequences.
Shockwaves and Pressure: The bomb’s shockwave disrupts air-filled spaces in the body, primarily affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, auditory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.
Respiratory System: The alveoli may rupture, leading to fluid leakage into the lungs, potentially causing them to fill up. Other complications include arterial gas embolism and chest hemorrhages.
Cardiovascular System: The cardiovascular system may suffer from air embolisms in the heart or coronary arteries or widespread cardiac muscle damage.
Auditory System: Mild cases involve ruptured eardrums and minor hearing loss. Severe cases may involve damage to the inner ear, leading to sensory-neural hearing loss, disabling pain, nausea, and balance issues.
Digestive System: Shockwaves passing through trapped gas pockets in the intestines may cause bruising in mild cases or intestinal perforations in severe cases.
Central Nervous System: Primary CNS injuries include cerebral arterial gas embolism, potentially leading to death.
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