TEHRAN – Over the past 60 years, civilians have been the main victims of the wars; hence their protection in armed conflicts is regarded a cornerstone of international humanitarian law.

However, the United States and Israel forces have been launching violent attacks on Iran targeting residential areas, and bombarding health, educational, and sport infrastructures. 

Their violation of international humanitarian law has been confirmed and condemned by many individuals, media, and international organizations worldwide. 

“The principle of distinction between civilians and combatants is an important principle of the international humanitarian law; it only justifies targeting armed forces. 

Civilians have to be treated with respect. Even political officials who are not directly involved in wars are not legitimate targets. It highlights that injured military forces should not be targeted, let alone rescuers, children, and health staff, and in case the invasion of military targets would bring about too much damage to civilians, it is better not to be carried out,” Behzad Saberi, an international law expert, said in an interview with IRNA.

The protection of civilians extends to those who try to help them, including medical staff, humanitarian and relief organizations that are providing essential goods such as food, clothing, medical tools, and parties to a conflict should not violate the law. 

In the second World War, and its subsequent conflicts, a large number of civilians suffered huge hostilities, witnessing a large scale of war crimes against humanity. Four Geneva Conventions of 1949 were updated in response to these war crimes. 

Pursuant to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, medical units, hospitals, rehabilitation institutions, and humanitarian facilities enjoy special protection. 

Parties to a conflict are under a binding obligation to respect the fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.

These principles, recognized as customary and peremptory norms of international humanitarian law, prohibit attacks against civilian objects and any conduct resulting in civilian casualties. 

Violations of these obligations may amount to grave breaches of international humanitarian law.

Four Geneva Conventions was later strengthened by Additional Protocol I of 1977, which requires the absolute distinction between civilians and combatants.

But, as ever, civilians, particularly women, children, and displaced people are suffering the brunt of war. 

On the very first day of the war outbreak, February 28, a primary school, named Shajareh Tayyebeh, in Minab, Hormozgan province, was targeted in Zionist-American strikes, leaving tens of innocent individuals dead and wounded behind, depicting heinous acts and atrocity of the U.S.-Israeli criminals.

The schools are not merely buildings; they are protective spaces whose destruction results in loss of lives and long-term social harms. 

It was not the first time that educational centers are targeted. There have been news on schools destructions before, killing innocent students whose only crimes were their presence in classrooms. 

According to a report by the head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pirhossein Kolivand, the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes have resulted in widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, bombarding 9669 non-military units till Sunday.

Initial surveys have shown that a significant part of the targeted areas were not military. 

There were 7943 residential units, 1617 business units, 32 medical and pharmaceutical centers, 65 schools, and 13 centers affiliated with the IRCS.

“They have also targeted 15 rescue vehicles and 13 ambulances. Eleven health workers have been martyred, and 33 medical staff and seven aid workers have been injured,” Kolivand added.

Over the past few years, the United States and Israel have clearly violated international humanitarian law, moral and humane principles with unjustified excuses, avoiding to accept the responsibility for their unwise actions. 

Surprisingly, the so called advanced countries have intentionally shut their eyes to the imposed war, and terrorist crimes. 

The U.S. and Israel have boasted about their military precision and superiority. If this superiority has led to bombing schools, hospitals, and residential areas, it is not a sign of power, but a moral collapse which sounds death knell for the international humanitarian law.

International organizations are required to not only denounce and reprimand these criminals, but to make it clear what is the point of the international humanitarian law and why it is still essential to insist on respecting the law. 

HIGHLIGHT: The protection of civilians extends to those who try to help them, including medical staff, humanitarian and relief organizations.