The law of armed conflict, or international
humanitarian law (“IHL”), has long protected
medical personnel and facilities.2 The first
article of the 1864 Geneva Convention
protected the neutrality of ambulances
and hospitals.3 The 1907 Hague Convention
directs that “in sieges and bombardments all
necessary steps must be taken to spare, as
far as possible,… hospitals, and places where
the sick and wounded are collected, provided
they are not being used at the time for
military purposes…”4 More recently, attacks
on hospitals have been identified as one
of six “grave violations” which particularly
impact children.5
