As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, our Director-General, Pierre Krähenbühl, reflects on the immense toll on civilians, the erosion of fundamental norms in armed conflict, and the urgent need to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL).

Ratification alone is not enough. As states step up their defence capabilities, the rules of the Geneva Conventions must be understood, internalised, and supported by concrete legal and practical measures in peacetime if they are to be upheld in war. Sylvain Vité and I explore this in this post:

Decentralization ≠ disorganization. Many armed groups operate without strict, traditional, hierarchies, yet their actions create war-like conditions. Should they be bound by International Humanitarian Law despite their decentralized structure? international-review.icrc.org/articles/dec...

[1/2] A favorite tradition, the Just Security year-end book recommendations, is here! Our editors recommend a mix of books to learn more about some of the issues we cover, and to unwind and recharge for the year ahead. With thanks to our readers and to ... www.justsecurity.org/105991/just-...

The First Humanitarian ICT Resolution: Ambitions and Limitations | by Kubo Mačák

One year ago, we issued a statement to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Our statement remains timely.

On today's Lawfare Daily, @eugenia.bsky.social spoke to Jonathan Horowitz about how international humanitarian law can affect the private digital sector, the risks that tech companies can face when they provide services to a party in an armed conflict & what they should do to minimize those risks.

Le CICR qualifie les conflits armés selon des critères juridiques et sur la base de faits. Comment et pourquoi qualifions-nous les conflits ? Nous venons de publier notre nouveau document de référence en français (après l'anglais et l'espagnol ⤵️). www.icrc.org/fr/arti...

Register now! 26 November (online) the ICRC’s Chief Legal Officer & Director of Operations will discuss the ICRC's quadrennial report "International Humanitarian Law & the Challenges of Contemporary Armed Conflicts”, with remarks by the ICRC Director General. #IHL #IntLaw @icrclawpolicy.bsky.social

As people are leaving X and joining Bluesky instead, here is a starter pack of peace and conflict researchers for all new users ⤵️ go.bsky.app/7o8tZt2

Looking forward (80%) to deliver my inaugural lecture as Dame Louise Richardson Chair. Global Security: Is Law our Last Hope? 26 Nov, 5pm. Register below to attend online or in person www.ox.ac.uk/event/global...