International Humanitarian Law at Breaking Point as War Crimes Surge
A comprehensive new study has delivered a stark warning that the international legal framework designed to protect civilians during wartime is teetering on the edge of collapse. The research, conducted by the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, paints a grim picture of widespread atrocities and rampant impunity across multiple global conflict zones.
Alarming Scale of Civilian Suffering
The authoritative War Watch report examined 23 armed conflicts occurring between July 2024 and the end of 2025, revealing that more than 100,000 civilians were killed in each of those two years. This devastating toll represents what the study's authors describe as "serious violations of international humanitarian law on a huge scale" with perpetrators acting with near complete impunity.
Stuart Casey-Maslen, the lead author of the report, issued a dire warning about the consequences of international inaction. "Atrocity crimes are being repeated because past ones were tolerated," he stated. "Our actions – or inaction – will determine whether international humanitarian law vanishes altogether."
Conflict Zones in Crisis
The research highlights several particularly devastating conflicts where civilian populations have borne the brunt of violence:
- Gaza: The Palestinian territory suffered catastrophic losses with 18,592 children and approximately 12,400 women killed by the end of 2025. Gaza's total population declined by about 254,000 people – a staggering 10.6% reduction compared to pre-conflict estimates.
- Ukraine: Civilian casualties increased dramatically in 2025 with 2,514 recorded deaths – a 70% increase compared to 2023 figures. Russian drone attacks have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity and essential services.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: The report documents an "epidemic" of sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by almost all parties to the conflict. Victims range from infants as young as one year old to elderly women of 75.
- Sudan: Following the fall of El Fasher to rebels in October 2025, brutal sexual violence was documented with survivors describing being gang-raped by RSF fighters for hours or days, sometimes in the presence of family members.
Systemic Failures and Proposed Solutions
The report identifies a widening gap between treaty obligations under the Geneva conventions and the reality on the ground, where war crimes continue to proliferate with minimal accountability. Despite every country being bound "to respect and to ensure respect" for international humanitarian law, enforcement mechanisms have proven woefully inadequate.
The War Watch study proposes several concrete measures to address this crisis:
- Introducing and enforcing comprehensive bans on arms sales to countries where there is a clear risk weapons will be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law.
- Prohibiting the use of unguided gravity bombs and inaccurate long-range artillery in populated areas, along with restricting drone and artificial intelligence targeting against civilians.
- Ensuring systematic prosecution of war crimes through adequate political and financial support for the International Criminal Court and national war crimes tribunals.
The report notes that many major global powers – including the United States, Russia, China, Israel, and India – are not members of the International Criminal Court, creating significant jurisdictional gaps in accountability mechanisms.
A Critical Juncture for Global Justice
This extensive research comes as a direct counterpoint to claims by some political leaders about reducing global conflicts. The study's findings suggest that rather than diminishing, the scale and severity of wartime atrocities have escalated dramatically in recent years.
The authors conclude that "addressing widespread impunity for serious violations of international law should be treated as a policy priority" if the international community hopes to preserve what remains of the humanitarian legal framework established after the Second World War. Without urgent and coordinated action, they warn, the very foundations of international humanitarian law risk complete erosion in the face of escalating global conflicts.
