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Israel-Hamas War: In the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip have suffered the most losses so far. There has been massive loss of life and property in Israel too due to Hamas attack. More than 1200 Israeli citizens have died in the Hamas attack on Israel, while around 2800 people have been injured. Apart from this, houses in the cities located in the southern part of Israel have been extensively damaged. Israeli citizens have also been kidnapped and taken to Gaza Strip.
Similar is the situation in Gaza, where Israel has bombed so much that the buildings there have turned into dust. So far, more than 1900 Palestinians have lost their lives due to the airstrike on Gaza. The number of injured has crossed 7600. On top of that, Israel has also stopped the supply of electricity, water and fuel to Gaza. In such a situation, now people are also asking whether there are any rules of war? What is the war crime of which Israel is accused? Can a country cut off electricity and water supply to the enemy during war? Let us know the answer to this.
What are the rules of war?
Rules and regulations of war have also been made in the world, which are known as ‘International Humanitarian Law’ i.e. IHL. In this it has been decided what can be done during war and what cannot. Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross, first campaigned for the rules of war at the Geneva Conventions in 1864. At that time the number of countries that signed it was 12, whereas today 196 countries have signed it.
In the rules that were made in the beginning, it was stated that the army of any country would not misbehave with the injured soldiers of the enemy. If a soldier is injured, it will be his duty to treat him. But when atrocities against captured enemy soldiers and civilians took place in the First and Second World Wars, the Geneva Conventions were expanded. It was also decided that there would be no misbehavior not only with the soldiers of enemy countries but also with the civilians.
The Geneva Conventions are a set of four treaties and three additional protocols. It was also decided in the Geneva Convention that healthcare workers, aid workers and civilians cannot be targeted. After the First World War, some rules of war were also made under the Geneva Protocol. It was signed in Switzerland in 1925. Under the protocol, the use of chemical and biological weapons like phosphorus and chlorine gas was banned.
list of rules and regulations of war
- Civilians cannot be targeted during war, it is a war crime. Medical professionals, healthcare workers and common people who are not part of the war. But he is caught in this conflict, so he will have to be protected.
- Prisoners of war should be treated with respect. They can neither be tortured nor insulted. Food and water should be provided to captured enemy soldiers.
- It is the duty of medical workers to treat the soldiers of their own country as well as the soldiers of the enemy, if they are injured. For this reason, no country can target any hospital or people’s homes.
- Women cannot be raped or sexually assaulted during war. If soldiers of any country are found doing this, then it will be considered a war crime and action can be taken against that country.
- To avoid causing unnecessary harm and causing damage to the environment, the weapons that can be used in war are limited. Chemical and biological weapons have been considered illegal.
What is a war crime?
Targeting civilians, residential areas, hospitals, religious places, historical places or schools comes under the category of war crimes. In simple language, where people are tortured during war, it is considered a war crime. Putting people on the brink of starvation is also considered a war crime. Cutting off the supply of water, electricity or food to them is also a war crime. Altogether 50 situations have been mentioned, which fall in the category of war crimes.
Why was Israel accused of war crimes?
Israel is being accused of war crimes because the areas it has targeted in Gaza are where Palestinians live. Even though Israel has asked people to leave before the attack, Gaza is a blocked area from all sides, so people have no way to go anywhere even if they want to. This is the reason why Palestinians are left with no other option except to drop bombs on their heads. That’s why people are also calling it a war crime.
On top of that, there is a shortage of food, water, medicines and fuel in Gaza. Israel announced two days ago that it was stopping supplies to Gaza. This is also a war crime. Ben Sall, a professor of international law at the Australian University, told AFP that Israel has stopped the supply of food, oil, water and energy. In a way, this is like pushing people towards starvation, which is a war crime. According to the law, a complete ban cannot be imposed on Gaza.
Also read: What is ‘Nakba’, which again came into discussion amid Israel-Hamas war, what is its connection with Palestine? Know the whole story
