London (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) – 5 February 2026 International law continues to underpin efforts to regulate modern conflicts, from Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Yemen, through frameworks like the UN Charter and Geneva Conventions. Recent UN Security Council resolutions and ICJ rulings have sought to enforce ceasefires and accountability, though compliance remains inconsistent across state and non-state actors. Key developments include provisional measures against Israel in Gaza and ongoing probes into Russian actions in Ukraine, highlighting both enforcement challenges and legal advancements as of early 2026.
The role of international law in modern conflicts centres on established treaties and institutions designed to limit violence, protect civilians, and promote accountability. The United Nations Charter, adopted in 1945, prohibits the use of force except in self-defence or with Security Council authorisation, a principle reiterated in numerous resolutions amid ongoing wars. The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols form the core of international humanitarian law (IHL), binding 196 states to rules safeguarding non-combatants during armed conflicts.
In the inverted pyramid structure of reporting, the most pressing applications appear in active theatres. For instance, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued provisional measures in January 2024 ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza following South Africa's case, with further orders in May 2024 mandating a halt to operations in Rafah. These rulings, based on the 1948 Genocide Convention, underscore international law's mechanism for urgent intervention, though Israel has maintained its right to self-defence while reporting compliance efforts to the court.
UN Security Council Resolutions Target Key Conflict Zones
The UN Security Council has invoked Chapter VII of the UN Charter multiple times to address modern conflicts. Resolution 2728, adopted on 25 March 2024, demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, marking the first such binding call in the Israel-Hamas war. Co-sponsored by 11 members including the UK and France, it passed 14-0 with the US abstaining, reflecting fractures in enforcement due to veto powers.
In Ukraine, Resolution 2664 extended the Black Sea grain deal in March 2023, facilitating over 30 million tonnes of exports before its lapse, while subsequent measures condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure. Sudan's conflict since April 2023 prompted Resolution 2724 in December 2023, imposing a ceasefire and sanctions on Rapid Support Forces leader Hemedti for Darfur atrocities. Yemen's Houthi disruptions to Red Sea shipping led to Resolution 2722 on 10 January 2024, demanding cessation of attacks on commercial vessels and authorising defensive measures.
These resolutions demonstrate international law's prescriptive power, yet reports from UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlight repeated violations, such as Houthi strikes post-resolution.
ICJ and ICC Advance Accountability Mechanisms
The ICJ, as the UN's principal judicial organ, handles state-to-state disputes under compulsory jurisdiction for many parties. In Ukraine v Russia (2022), the court ordered Russia to suspend military operations, citing falsity of genocide claims in Donbas, with 13 judges upholding jurisdiction. A July 2024 advisory opinion declared Israel's 57-year occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful, calling for its end.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. Prosecutor Karim Khan secured arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over Gaza operations, alleging starvation as a weapon. Warrants for Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Ismail Haniyeh addressed the 7 October 2023 attacks killing 1,200. In Ukraine, warrants target Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for child deportations.
States parties, numbering 124, are obliged to arrest indictees, though non-members like Israel, Russia, and the US reject jurisdiction.
Humanitarian Law Protects Civilians in Urban Warfare
Modern conflicts increasingly involve urban settings, straining IHL. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits targeting civilians, with customary law banning indiscriminate attacks. In Gaza, UN reports document over 45,000 Palestinian deaths since October 2023, with Human Rights Watch citing potential war crimes in strikes on schools and hospitals. Israel's military reported 17,000 Hamas fighters killed, emphasising precision targeting compliant with IHL.
Ukraine's defence invokes IHL against Russian cluster munitions and infrastructure strikes, deemed violations by Amnesty International. In Sudan, ethnic cleansing in Darfur by RSF has displaced 10 million, prompting ICRC calls for access. Yemen's famine, affecting 18 million, violates prohibitions on starving civilians as warfare method.
Common Article 1 requires states to ensure respect for IHL, spurring universal jurisdiction cases in national courts.
Challenges Persist in Enforcement and State Compliance
Enforcement gaps define international law's role. Permanent Security Council members' vetoes—Russia's 20+ on Ukraine, US on Israel—block action, prompting General Assembly use of Uniting for Peace (Resolution 377A, 1950). The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, endorsed in 2005, authorises intervention for atrocity crimes but lacks binding force, as seen in Syria.
Non-state actors like Hamas, RSF, and Houthis complicate application, though IHL binds all parties via customary rules. Hybrid warfare, cyber operations, and drones test frameworks; Tallinn Manual 2.0 applies IHL to cyber, while UK guidance deems drone strikes lawful if proportional.
Sanctions regimes under UN Chapter VII target Yemen, Sudan, and North Korea's conflict-linked programmes.
Regional Frameworks Bolster Global Norms
Europe's Council of Europe enforces via European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), ruling on Ukraine war crimes. African Union enforces in Somalia through AMISOM under UN mandate. ASEAN's TAC promotes pacific dispute settlement.
In Middle East, Arab League invoked collective defence against Israel in 1948, evolving to Qatar-mediated Gaza talks.
Recent Developments Signal Incremental Progress
As of February 2026, ICJ hearings continue on Gaza genocide risks, with Israel submitting rebuttals. ICC appeals advance Ukraine warrants. UN Gaza resolution 2735 (June 2024) outlined permanent ceasefire, hostage release, and aid, though unimplemented.
Black Sea talks resume post-grain deal collapse, averting famine. Sudan truce efforts by US, Saudi, and AU falter amid RSF advances.
These facts, drawn from UN, ICJ, ICC, and outlets like Reuters, BBC, Al Jazeera, affirm international law's foundational yet challenged role in modern conflicts.