International humanitarian law: Who ensures the application of these laws?

International Humanitarian Law serves as a crucial framework designed to protect civilians and civilian sites as it establishes clear guidelines and restricts their use as battlefields.

What are these protected sites, and is violating international law considered a war crime? How do they hold accountable those who breach them?

Homes: By nature, international law extends its protection to homes where civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, reside.

Schools and universities: Educational institutions, such as schools and universities, are also off-limits as targets in armed conflicts.

Vital infrastructure: Attacking vital infrastructure like dams, bridges, and nuclear power stations can have severe humanitarian consequences.

Food sources, agricultural areas, and water facilities: Preventing the targeting of food sources, agricultural zones, and water supply networks is crucial for the welfare of civilians.

Hospitals and medical personnel: Hospitals must never be attacked, and medical personnel providing care to the injured and sick must be protected. Rescue teams such as the Red Cross and Civil Defense units are equally safeguarded.

Cultural and religious properties: Cultural and religious properties, including places of worship, are irreplaceable and are of significant cultural importance.

UN facilities: United Nations facilities responsible for preserving peace and security must be respected.

Going beyond these rules and committing violations constitutes a war crime.

The legal system and international criminal courts enforce international humanitarian law worldwide.

Despite the existence and development of these conventions over the years, violations have persisted throughout global wars.

Who ensures the application of these laws? Who will hold all nations, including Israel, accountable for breaches, particularly in the recent Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, violating more than one point of the law?