Articles on Laws of war
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This is driven by an absence of legal accountability for attacks on civilians, aid workers and journalists in both Lebanon and Gaza.
The Pakistani strike on a drug addiction hospital raises serious concerns about the enforcement of international humanitarian law.
The laws of war would prohibit a deliberate double tap strike against a hospital.
Mercenaries are outlawed under international law. But Russia has misused the label to deny foreign fighters their protections as prisoners of war.
The law of armed conflict is straightforward – combatants must only target military objectives, not civilians.
International law clearly states that hiding explosives in objects that could be picked up by civilians is strictly prohbited.
On the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, the world still witnesses brutal and illegal violations of the rules of war. Only greater collective responsibility will improve the situation.
New Zealand has been quick to voluntarily report on its compliance with international humanitarian law. Turning those words into deeds remains the challenge in a violent and insecure world.
The release of a Russian hit man and the assassination of Israel’s enemies in Lebanon and Iran have shone a spotlight on killings carried out on state orders.
Former Australian Defence Force Chief Mark Binskin has a wide remit, but it’s unclear how he’ll obtain the information needed for his investigation.
Arable land has been destroyed, as have food production sites. But even before the current operation in Gaza, Palestinians there suffered high rates of food insecurity.
Mass forced movement of people has been used in conflicts to serve three goals: population control, territorial expansion and as a sorting mechanism. All three could be in play in Gaza.
The Taliban and the Islamic State group are among the militant groups that have been known to use civilians as human shields in the past, in order to try to shift their opponents’ war calculations.












