Contemporary urban warfare Does international humanitarian law offer solutions?

The conduct of war in urban areas is difficult and extremely dangerous for the civilian population because of the co-location of the enemy. Feasible precautions in attack, including the duty to warn the civilian population, serve to balance the necessities of battle with the obligation to protect the civilian population. Misusing the law for other purposes such as was done by Hamas may seem advantageous to their cause at first sight, discrediting both the Palestinian Authority and Israeli forces. On the long run, however, violations of the law may have the result of complete escalation of the conflict, precluding chances for sustainable peace and must therefore be avoided. Adherence to and implementation of the rules of IHL during the conduct of war are crucial, even when facing an opponent who clearly does not.