New podcast episode ‘Recht op Nieuws’ - The rules of war: Gaza, Israel and humanitarian law

What happens to international law when it is no longer enforced? In the third episode of the Recht op Nieuws podcast, emeritus professor Jan Brouwer and international law expert André de Hoogh explore the legal foundations of one of today’s most charged conflicts: the war between Israel and Hamas, and its impact on the civilian population in Gaza.

Since the Hamas attack on 7 October, violence in Gaza has escalated dramatically. Tens of thousands of deaths, a destroyed infrastructure, and blocked humanitarian aid raise urgent questions: where is the line between acts of war and war crimes? And what role do treaties like the Geneva Conventions still play?

In this episode, André de Hoogh, Associate Professor of International Law at our Faculty and member of the Advisory Committee on Issues of Public International Law (CAVV), explains how international law works, how to distinguish between violations of the laws of war and actual war crimes, and why enforcement proves so difficult.

Recht op Nieuws

Recht op Nieuws offers an in-depth analysis of a current legal issue every month. Jan Brouwer discusses with experts from the Faculty how legislation and jurisprudence affect our daily lives. You can now listen to the episode on Spotify and iTunes (and via our podcast page). Questions or suggestions? Email us at: rechtopnieuws rug.nl.

This article was published by the Faculty of Law.