What Does International Law Say about the Israel-Hamas War?

Health officials in Gaza report that at least 18,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel began its bombardment of the region, in retaliation for Hamas’s October 7 attack that left 1200 Israelis dead and 240 more taken hostage. The war has created increasingly desperate conditions in Gaza as its health care system collapses, food and water shortages worsen and the vast majority of residents remain displaced. The humanitarian situation is leading to growing international calls for a ceasefire and demands from U.S. officials that Israel do more to protect civilians while the war continues. We’ll learn more about conditions on the ground in Gaza and whether and to what extent Israel and Hamas are violating international rules of armed conflict.