International Humanitarian Law

A troubling idea has begun to circulate in European political circles: the idea that international law is exhausted. That it has little effect in today’s geopolitical world.  

This argument has surfaced in speeches of several European leaders. Most notably, in that of the European Commission’s President to EU Ambassadors last week. She is not alone, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz comments have raised similar questions. 

Israel is in the late stages of ethnic cleansing of the North Gaza governorate, Oxfam says. For fifty days, Israel has prevented Oxfam, its partners, and other humanitarian agencies from delivering life-saving aid to thousands of starving people in north Gaza.

In reaction to today’s Israeli raids across West Bank refugee camps, Oxfam MENA Regional Director Sally Abi Khalil said: "The latest Israeli military offensive in the West Bank overnight is deeply concerning, resulting in numerous possible violations of international humanitarian law." 

Israel’s latest evacuation order, calling for a quarter of a million people to leave Eastern Khan Younis, violates the Geneva Convention and is in breach of multiple provisions of International Humanitarian Law, because it has failed to provide safe passage, or a safe final destination where basic humanitarian needs can be met, Oxfam said today. 

In reaction to today’s Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kryvyi Rih, and Vinnytsia regions, which have left thousands of people without electricity or water, and caused disruptions to transport and communications, Sarah Redd – Oxfam’s Advocacy Campaigns and Engagement Manager for the Ukraine Response - said: 

Oxfam welcomes today’s Open Debate on the UN’s 2023 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, which highlights the urgent need for all parties involved in armed conflicts to respect their international obligations and to prioritize the protection of children. 

The war in Yemen has been marked by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, often in serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. Such use of explosive weapons has a gendered impact, affecting men and women differently.

New military escalation in Somalia risks harming civilians and undermining efforts to recover from famine, Oxfam said, as the AU military force (AMISOM) and the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) launched a major new offensive in an area where 400,000 people are living in densely populated camps.