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International law meant to limit effects of war at breaking point, study finds

Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

WAR WATCH IHL IN FOCUS REPORT

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A report by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, examining 23 armed conflicts between July 2024 and December 2025, has concluded that widespread violations have pushed international humanitarian law (IHL) to a "critical breaking point."

A report by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, examining 23 armed conflicts between July 2024 and December 2025, has concluded that widespread violations have pushed international humanitarian law (IHL) to a "critical breaking point."

While the academy was unable to pinpoint the number of civilian fatalities across both years, it estimates that state and non-state actors killed "well over" 100,000 civilians across 2024 and 2025 in regular, and at times systematic, attacks, with massacres reported in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Haiti, Sudan and Syria.

While the academy was unable to pinpoint the number of civilian fatalities across both years, it estimates that state and non-state actors killed "well over" 100,000 civilians across 2024 and 2025 in regular, and at times systematic, attacks, with massacres reported in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Haiti, Sudan and Syria.

The majority of these deaths were recorded in Gaza, where more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, including approximately 18,592 children and 12,400 women by the end of December 2025.

The majority of these deaths were recorded in Gaza, where more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, including approximately 18,592 children and 12,400 women by the end of December 2025.

Civilian infrastructure, including medical centers, was also widely targeted, with Russia deploying munitions against residential areas in Ukraine — where civilian casualties were the highest in 2025 in three years — and Israeli bombing campaigns destroying 78% of all structures in Gaza, including roughly 282,000 homes.

Civilian infrastructure, including medical centers, was also widely targeted, with Russia deploying munitions against residential areas in Ukraine — where civilian casualties were the highest in 2025 in three years — and Israeli bombing campaigns destroying 78% of all structures in Gaza, including roughly 282,000 homes.

In addition, the academy documented sexual and gender-based violence in almost every conflict examined. The Democratic Republic of Congo, in particular, was noted as having experienced an "epidemic" of such violence, involving victims ranging from ages one to 75.

In addition, the academy documented sexual and gender-based violence in almost every conflict examined. The Democratic Republic of Congo, in particular, was noted as having experienced an "epidemic" of such violence, involving victims ranging from ages one to 75.

To tackle the abuses, the report recommends prohibiting weapon exports when there is a "clear risk" of facilitating serious IHL violations, outlawing the use of inaccurate ordinance against populated areas and ensuring the systematic prosecution of war crimes through adequate support for the International Criminal Court and domestic tribunals.

To tackle the abuses, the report recommends prohibiting weapon exports when there is a "clear risk" of facilitating serious IHL violations, outlawing the use of inaccurate ordinance against populated areas and ensuring the systematic prosecution of war crimes through adequate support for the International Criminal Court and domestic tribunals.

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Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights #

International Committee of the Red Cross #

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The findings of this report make it clear that IHL stands on a knife-edge, with widespread violations reported in every conflict examined. If allowed to continue, these abuses will ensure that the wars of the future will be ever more depraved and blood-soaked, necessitating urgent policy action to constrain these war crimes and restore the proper rules of engagement.

The findings of this report make it clear that IHL stands on a knife-edge, with widespread violations reported in every conflict examined. If allowed to continue, these abuses will ensure that the wars of the future will be ever more depraved and blood-soaked, necessitating urgent policy action to constrain these war crimes and restore the proper rules of engagement.

What this report fails to recognise is that the international rules-based order upon which IHL rests no longer exists, if it ever really did in the first place, following decades of lax enforcement. The new reality is that of the old, that the powerful and the armed will do whatever they feel that they must or want, and that those powerless to stop it will suffer as a result.

What this report fails to recognise is that the international rules-based order upon which IHL rests no longer exists, if it ever really did in the first place, following decades of lax enforcement. The new reality is that of the old, that the powerful and the armed will do whatever they feel that they must or want, and that those powerless to stop it will suffer as a result.

Gordon G. Chang

The Salt Of The Earth

There is a 26% chance that Israel will be found guilty in South Africa's genocide case by the ICJ before January 1, 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There is a 26% chance that Israel will be found guilty in South Africa's genocide case by the ICJ before January 1, 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

International Humanitarian Law at "Critical Breaking Point," According to Report

Saeed M. M. T. Jaras/Anadolu via Getty Images

International Humanitarian Law at "Critical Breaking Point," According to Report

World

Armed conflict

Freedom & human rights

The findings of this report make it clear that international humanitarian law stands on a knife-edge, with widespread violations reported in every conflict examined. If allowed to continue, these abuses will ensure that the wars of the future will be ever more depraved and blood-soaked — necessitating urgent policy action to constrain these war crimes and restore the proper rules of engagement.

The findings of this report make it clear that international humanitarian law stands on a knife-edge, with widespread violations reported in every conflict examined. If allowed to continue, these abuses will ensure that the wars of the future will be ever more depraved and blood-soaked — necessitating urgent policy action to constrain these war crimes and restore the proper rules of engagement.

What this report fails to recognize is that the international rules-based order upon which international humanitarian law rests no longer exists, if it ever really did in the first place, following decades of lax enforcement. The new reality is that of the old, that the powerful and the armed will do whatever they feel that they must or want, and that those powerless to stop it will suffer as a result.

What this report fails to recognize is that the international rules-based order upon which international humanitarian law rests no longer exists, if it ever really did in the first place, following decades of lax enforcement. The new reality is that of the old, that the powerful and the armed will do whatever they feel that they must or want, and that those powerless to stop it will suffer as a result.

Report: International Humanitarian Law at 'Critical Breaking Point,'

Report: International Humanitarian Law at "'Critical Breaking Point," According to Report'

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