Legal Implications of Warfare in Densely Populated Areas

On October 31st Israeli military forces bombed the Jabalia refugee camp just north of Gaza City.

They said the area was a Hamas stronghold that included underground tunnels and a command center, and that they were targeting a Hamas commander there.

The health ministry in Gaza says the strike caused a large number of civilian casualties. So what are the rules of war that might apply to such situations?

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Tom Dannenbaum, an associate professor of international law at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy about the rules of war in an urban setting.

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