International humanitarian law – known as the laws of war – establishes what can and cannot be done by parties to an armed conflict. These laws seek to minimize human suffering and protect civilians as well as combatants who are no longer taking part in hostilities, such as prisoners of war.
It then presents the four fundamental principles of the law of armed conflict, which serve as the foundational framework for any analysis of rights, obligations, and privileges in situations of conflict: military necessity, humanity, distinction, and proportionality.