Today’s armed conflicts are characterized by widespread violations of basic human-itarian norms for the protection of civilians, the civilian population and civilian property. More than 120 years after the Hague Regulations on land warfare and 70 years after the adoption of the Geneva Conventions, ensuring respect for interna-tional humanitarian law remains a challenge in law and policy. This chapter con-siders current trends, challenges and insights into the (im)possibility to ensure re-spect for humanitarian law in modern conflicts.
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