Navigating the Boundaries: Understanding the Limits of War in the Hamas-Israel Conflict

The laws of war have limitations and are not designed to outlaw fighting completely or ban all killings of civilians. They set minimum requirements for situations where usual moral rules and ways of resolving disagreements have failed. Acts of war can be horrifying without necessarily being illegal. The laws carry weight and violations can damage a country's international standing. However, international law is not connected to an international police force or fast-acting court system, and investigations of war crimes often take years to complete. The threat of future prosecution can act as a deterrent. Collective punishment is a war crime and a violation of international humanitarian law, but not all attacks on civilians violate this rule. Accusations of collective punishment have been made against Israel in the Hamas-Israel conflict, but Israel denies these claims.