Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law, Volume 27, 2024

Volume 27 of the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law addresses key controversies relating to the application and interpretation of international humanitarian law (IHL) raised by the armed conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Such controversies not only provoke fundamental legal questions, but have become central in public discourse surrounding the conflicts and beyond — placing significant pressure on key principles of IHL. This pressure — sometimes emanating from radical interpretations of the rules of IHL by various actors — has exposed fault-lines and boundaries in the understanding of IHL among different interpretive communities. This Volume is therefore dedicated to the rigorous doctrinal and theoretical analysis of pertinent areas of tension within the contemporary field of IHL.

Considering the numerous pressures raised within IHL at present, this Volume contains seven chapters dedicated to this theme. Topics addressed include siege warfare, the protection of healthcare, forcible displacement, determining violations of the law of targeting, the use of artificial intelligence in decision-support systems, harmful speech, as well as the protection of marine species under IHL. The Volume concludes with the Year in Review, which describes and analyses the most important IHL-related developments that took place during 2024.

The Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law is a leading annual publication devoted to the study of IHL. It has always strived to be at the forefront of the debate of pressing doctrinal and theoretical questions of IHL, and provides an international forum for high-quality, peer-reviewed research on this crucial branch of international law. Distinguished by contemporary relevance, the Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law bridges the gap between theory and practice, serving as a useful reference tool for scholars, practitioners, military personnel, civil servants, diplomats, human rights workers, and students.