A new survey of twenty-three global conflicts warns that international humanitarian law has reached a “critical breaking point.” The report, from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, states “well over” one hundred thousand civilians have been killed in the past eighteen months. It describes an “epidemic” of violence marked by rampant impunity. Consequently, the authors argue atrocity crimes are repeated because past ones were tolerated. The survey highlights Gaza and Sudan as particularly concerning, underscoring a systemic failure to uphold the foundational laws of war established after World War II.
Lead author Stuart Casey-Maslen issued a stark warning: “Our actions—or inaction—will determine whether international humanitarian law vanishes altogether.” The “War Watch” survey covers the period from July 2024 through the end of 2025. It notes that despite ceasefires, civilian casualties continue unabated in many theaters. The report identifies a severe erosion of the rules designed to protect non-combatants, with violations occurring on a huge scale. This crisis of international law challenges the very architecture of global conflict regulation and human protection.
The Human Toll in Gaza and Sudan
The survey details catastrophic losses in Gaza. Local authorities report 18,592 children and 12,400 women killed since Israel’s invasion in October 2023. The enclave’s overall population declined by approximately ten point six percent, a loss of about 254,000 people. This makes it one of the deadliest contemporary conflicts. The report observes that civilian casualties persisted even after a late-2024 ceasefire, indicating ongoing violations of international law and a failure of protection mechanisms.
In Sudan, the report documents widespread atrocities following the fall of El-Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces in October 2025. It cites numerous instances of survivors being gang-raped by RSF fighters, often in the presence of relatives. This pattern of sexual violence as a weapon of war represents a grave breach of international law. The conflict’s brutality underscores the total impunity with which armed groups often operate, further eroding the practical authority of legal norms meant to restrain wartime conduct.
Systemic Failures and Rampant Impunity
The core finding is a systemic failure to enforce international law. The report states serious violations are committed “on a huge scale and with rampant impunity.” This impunity creates a vicious cycle where perpetrators expect no consequences, emboldening further atrocities. The Geneva Conventions, which obligate every state to uphold humanitarian law “in all circumstances,” are being rendered ineffective. The survey suggests that addressing this impunity must become an urgent global policy priority to prevent the complete collapse of the legal framework.
The mechanisms for accountability are underfunded and politically weakened. The International Criminal Court lacks universal support and sufficient resources to investigate all major conflicts. National courts often lack jurisdiction or political will to prosecute international crimes. This accountability vacuum is a primary reason international law has reached its current breaking point. Without a credible threat of prosecution, the laws become merely aspirational, failing their fundamental purpose of mitigating wartime suffering.
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Proposed Policy Solutions and Reforms
The survey proposes concrete measures to reinforce international law. First, it advocates for arms export bans to countries where there is a clear risk weapons will facilitate serious violations. This aims to cut off the supply of tools used to commit atrocities. Second, it calls for limiting the use of certain weapons in civilian areas, including drones, AI targeting systems, unguided gravity bombs, and inaccurate long-range artillery. These weapons disproportionately harm civilians and often violate principles of distinction and proportionality.
Third, the report demands systematic prosecution of war crimes. It urges greater political and financial support for the International Criminal Court from the international community. Strengthening other hybrid and national tribunals is also essential. The authors argue that without a credible justice pathway, deterrence is impossible. These policy ideas are presented as urgent steps to rebuild the crumbling edifice of international humanitarian law before it vanishes entirely.
The Broader Context of an “Epidemic” of Violence
The survey’s framing of an “epidemic” reflects the unprecedented number of active, high-casualty conflicts. Beyond Gaza and Sudan, wars in Ukraine, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and others contribute to the grim tally. This proliferation overwhelms humanitarian response capacity and international diplomatic attention. It also stretches monitoring and reporting mechanisms thin, allowing violations to go undocumented and unaddressed. The sheer volume of conflict normalizes violence and desensitizes the global community to breaches of international law.
This normalization is perhaps the greatest threat. When violations become commonplace, they cease to shock the conscience of humanity—a principle underpinning international law. The report serves as a corrective, quantifying the horror and explicitly linking it to legal failure. It is a call to reject complacency and recognize that the current trajectory leads to a world where the laws of war are obsolete, and civilian lives are considered expendable collateral in pursuit of military and political objectives.
The Path Forward: Upholding the Law or Facing Collapse
The future of international law hangs in the balance. The survey presents a clear choice: concerted action to enforce accountability or acquiescence to its irrelevance. Upholding the law requires political courage from states to restrain allies, fund justice mechanisms, and prioritize legal compliance over short-term strategic interests. It also demands a revitalized civic and diplomatic commitment to the principles established after the tragedies of the World Wars.
The “breaking point” is not an inevitable collapse but a warning. It indicates the system is under maximum stress but can still be repaired. The policy proposals offer a roadmap. However, implementing them requires a collective will that has been conspicuously absent. The coming year will be a test of whether the international community can rally to defend the very rules that define civilization in warfare, or whether we will witness the final unraveling of a system designed to protect the most vulnerable.
