Humanitarian law is a set of rules and principles designed to limit the effects of armed conflict on people and property. Its purpose is to protect individuals who are not participating in wars, such as civilians, medical personnel or prisoners of war, and to restrict the means and methods of war. It aims to soften the brutal face of war and to protect basic human rights. Conventions and agreements that emphasize and outline the importance of human rights are the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 and the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

• International Committee of the Red Cross. (2020). International humanitarian law: Key facts. https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/assets/files/publications/icrc-002-1067.pdf