Here is the situation in GazaThe smaller of two Palestinian territories, home to two million people. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Israel and Egypt. as this story is being written, on Sunday night. Gaza is emerging from darkness as phone lines and internet are slowly restored after a communications blackout. But here the positive news mostly ends: doctors in Gaza are reporting that IsraelA country in the Middle East, and the only Jewish nation in the modern period. It is seen by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy Land. has told them to evacuate a major hospital. They say it is "impossible": they have 400 patients and 14,000 people sheltering there. Meanwhile, the bombs continue to fall.

In 1949, nations from around the world sat down together to agree on a set of rules that would govern war. These rules became known as the Geneva ConventionsInternational humanitarian law that seeks to regulate armed conflict and minimise its harm. . They set out key aims that sought to reduce some of the worst aspects of war, including protections for those treating the sick and wounded.

Later additions also provided laws to protect nations seeking self determination and specifically prohibited collective punishment, torture, the taking of hostages, acts of terrorism and slavery.

According to the United NationsAn international organisation focused on keeping peace. Its refugee agency, the UNHCR, aims to assist refugees around the world. and other experts, war crimes are being committed before our eyes in this conflict.¹ Civilian hostages were taken by HamasA militant Palestinian organisation, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. It is listed as a terrorist organisation in the UK. fighters at the start of the conflict and Israel responded by cutting off water and power. Indeed the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres said Hamas's attacks cannot "justify collective punishment" of the PalestinianPalestine is an area of the eastern Mediterranean region, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of modern Israel. It has been fought over by Arab and Jewish national movements for many years. people.²

But writing in the Telegraph, international lawyer Guglielmo Verdirame paints a more complicated picture. In law, "proportionate self-defence" is allowed - and a higher death toll on one side does not automatically mean that the defence is not "proportionate". "Given what Hamas did, does and says," Verdirame writes, "Israel's declared war aims - the destruction of Hamas's capability - seem consistent with proportionality in self-defence".

Yet, the list of tragedies seems to go on and on. The bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City; airstrikes on at least 90 schools in Gaza; an airstrike on a market in Jabalia refugee camp; rocket attacks in civilian areas; the death of journalists and their families - every day seems to bring more tales of civilian deaths.

But Palestine and Israel are not the only places in the world where war crimes are alleged. The conflict in Ukraine has seen a number of accusations of war crimes, including the bombing of civilian areas, torture and execution³ of soldiers - sometimes by Western allies in the Ukrainian army.

In Yemen, a Saudi-led coalition has been bombing the country for over seven years. The UN has accused the coalition of committing war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

And in Ethiopia, the government has been fighting a civil war against rebels in the TigrayA region home to the Tigrayan people in northern Ethiopia. region since November 2020. The United Nations has accused both sides of committing war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians and sexual violence.

Western leaders have given moral support to the war in Gaza. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Israel has an "absolute right to defend itself".⁴ "I'm sure innocents have been killed (in Gaza)," added US president Joe Biden, "and it's the price of waging a war".⁵ Meanwhile, the US voted against a UN resolution calling for a truce.⁶

Both leaders were elected by voters - 81 million Americans for Biden in 2020, and nearly 14 million for Rishi Sunak's party, the Conservative PartyA British political party. Members are known as Tories., in 2019. Should the people of Britain and America bear responsibility for their decisions?

Yes: Guilt by association is a legal principle that holds individuals responsible for the crimes of others. We elect our leaders and we give them the power to act on our behalf.

No: Individuals should not be held responsible for the actions of their governments. Many people are horrified by the events unfolding and thousands have taken to the streets to demand a ceasefire.

Or... Perhaps we are not guilty but we should be doing more to hold our leaders to account for their actions.