لخّصلي

International law scholars and actors within the international system have sought to provide a clear and comprehensive definition of IHL through academic studies and field experiences encountered in the past century.Some have defined it as "a set of rules applicable in armed conflicts to combatants and the methods and means of warfare (Hague Law)." Others have described it as "a body of provisions that protect individuals who have ceased to participate in hostilities or never took part in them, as well as civilian objects affected by armed conflict (Geneva Law)."

International law scholars and actors within the international system have sought to provide a clear and comprehensive definition of IHL through academic studies and field experiences encountered in the past century. Some have defined it as "a set of rules applicable in armed conflicts to combatants and the methods and means of warfare (Hague Law)." Others have described it as "a body of provisions that protect individuals who have ceased to participate in hostilities or never took part in them, as well as civilian objects affected by armed conflict (Geneva Law)." A third group defines it as "a set of rules that protect human rights during armed conflicts, forming part of international human rights law."
IHL is considered a branch of public international law, composed largely of a range of sources that, according to Article 38 of the International Court of Justice's Statute, include treaties, international agreements, customary law, and general principles of international law. As for its name, IHL was previously referred to as "the law of war," but following a recommendation by the United Nations, the term "war" was replaced with "armed conflicts," applying to specific instances of force. Over time, humanitarian considerations took precedence over the requirements of warfare, leading international scholars and actors to adopt the modern term "international humanitarian law," whose scope has come to cover all individuals directly or indirectly connected to both international and non-international armed conflicts.