Laurent Gisel

From hackers to tech companies: IHL and the involvement of civilians in ICT activities in armed conflict Five key risks, and state obligations, when civilians become involved in information and communication technology activities in armed conflict.

Hot from the press ! New report by the @icrc.org & the @geneva-academy.ch on #IHL and the growing involvement of #civilians in #CyberOperations & other #digital activities during #ArmedConflict.
Please find a summary of our findings & the report's link in our blog post
blogs.icrc.org/law-and-poli...

UN General Assembly 80th session: Statement to the First Committee

Honored to share today's @icrc.org statement to the #UNGA First Committee. The human cost of #conflits is appalling, but #Disarmament is an effective tool to prevent war & mitigate their impact. States need to redouble their efforts to protect civilians. #IHL
www.icrc.org/en/statement...

Autonomous Weapon Systems and International Humanitarian Law: Selected Issues To support current international efforts to regulate autonomous weapon systems (AWS), the ICRC has prepared this position paper to clarify how international humanitarian law (IHL) applies to AWS

Interested by #AutonomousWeapons and #IHL? Check out our position paper published today, which examines how IHL apply to #AWS.
In the @icrc.org's view, new rules are urgently needed to address the humanitarian, legal & ethical concerns raised by #LAWS.

#Disarmament
www.icrc.org/en/article/a...

We have started a multi-phase operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages and detainees as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The complex operation, which takes place at the request of the parties, is crucial to reuniting separated families. The ICRC’s role in this operation is that of a neutral intermediary, and is strictly humanitarian. The parties to the conflict determined the terms of the ceasefire agreement, including the individuals to be released and the timeline; the ICRC was not involved in the negotiations. It is the responsibility of the parties to the agreement to ensure these operations are conducted safely and with dignity.

We have started a multi-phase operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages and detainees as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

More details here: ms.spr.ly/6182s2AQs

Are you interested by the @icrc.org's views on #Humanitarian #Disarmanent issue on the agenda of #UNGA First Committee? Don't miss our working paper 👇 I'll be in #NewYork 13-17 Oct. and eager to engage and hear your thoughts !
#IHL #Weapons #GenevaConventions
www.icrc.org/sites/defaul...

YouTube video by Article 36 Legal LBD Live Podcast 25 Sep 25 AI DSS

How should #AI decision support systems be used in conflict? This excellent podcast with Heidi Kandiel (@icrc.org) & @jessicadorsey.bsky.social explores the risks they raise for compliance with #IHL & the need to ensure they support rather than replace human judgment.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-9b...

Yesterday statement by the leaders of Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan & South Africa, together with the @icrc.org:
We call on all parties to conflict to uphold #IHL. We reaffirm that all states, including in situations of occupation, are bound to fully respect and ensure respect for #IHL.

Opinion | I Survived an Atomic Bomb. It’s Time to End the Nuclear Threat.

Powerful testimony by Dr Terumi Tanaka, who was a 13 years old child living in #Nagazaki in 1945 when the #atomic #bomb destroyed his city. He is now a Chair of #NihonHidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations.
#BanNuclearWeapons #TPNW
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/o...

An evitable catastrophe: reclaiming humanity from the nuclear brink Dominique Loye on the evolution of legal and humanitarian objections to nuclear weapons, from the 1868 Saint Petersburg Declaration to the TPNW.

Pleased to share my colleague Dominique Loye new post on reclaiming humanity from the #nuclear brink.
We all have a shared responsibility to ourselves, our children, & future generations to act now & reverse the perilous drift towards nuclear destruction.
#IHL #Hiroshima @icrc.org
shorturl.at/a5Y5T

80 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: A call to eliminate nuclear weapons

Pleased to share the joint statement by the Presidents of #JapaneseRC & @icrc.org on the risks #nuclear #weapons still pose 80 years after the horrifying tragedy caused by the bombings of #Hiroshima & #Nagasaki.
Are enough efforts being made to rid the world of these weapons?
#IHL shorturl.at/1ggKH

The weaponization of outer space is not inevitable Statement by Laurent Gisel of the ICRC to the Open-ended Working Group on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space in All Its Aspects.

Pleased to share @icrc.org statement at the recent #PAROS #OEWG.
Space system have become central for civilian services & for military operations. But the weaponization of #OuterSpace is not inevitable. States may decide to set limits for many reasons, incl. humanitarian ones.
#IHL shorturl.at/7cf7Q

ICRC head: 'Are we accepting life in a world where war is becoming the first resort?' As battlefields multiply across the world, Pierre Krähenbühl, the director general of the International Committee of the Red Cross, laments the growing disregard for the laws of war set out in the Geneva Conventions.

"If what we see in Gaza, Sudan, eastern Congo, and Ukraine is the future of war, then there is reason to be deeply concerned about the abandonment of the most basic rules.”, Pierre Krähenbühl, ICRC's director general, shared with @lemonde.fr.

Read more: http://ms.spr.ly/63323SfCyN

International humanitarian law and connectivity disruptions during armed conflict ICRC Legal Adviser Tilman Rodenhäuser on the limits that international humanitarian law imposes on connectivity disruptions in armed conflict.

Without connectivity, people face challenges to call emergency services, contact family members, receive warnings, and @icrc.org operations face serious limitations.
Which limits does #IHL imposes limits on connectivity disruptions during armed conflict?
blogs.icrc.org/law-and-poli...
#cyber

Pleased to share the joint @icrc.org @ifrc.org statement & call on all States at last week #APMBC Intersessional Meeting.
#IHL #MineBanConventuin
#OttawaConvention
#FinnishRedCross #IraqiRedCrescentSociety
www.icrc.org/en/statement...

AI in Military Decision Making: A Dialogue on How to Enhance IHL Compliance (full event recording) Military armed forces are exploring increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities for military use. One of the most widespread military applications…

Did you miss our event yesterday on #ArtificialIntelligence in military decision making and compliance with #IHL? The recording is now available on @icrc.org website 👇
vimeo.com/1094320405?s...

ICRC president: Civilians will pay the price if global commitment to ban landmines allowed to fracture

The #OttawaConvention stands as one of the most successful disarmament treaties ever negotiated. Civilians will pay the price if global commitment to ban anti-personnel #landmines is allowed to fracture. Weakening or abandoning it also undermines the integrity of #IHL.
#APMBC #HumanitarianLaw

EVENT: AI in Military Decision Making: A Dialogue on How to Enhance IHL Compliance

Interested by #ArtificialIntelligence in military decision making & how to ensure it is used in compliance with #HumanitarianLaw?
Please join us for this 17 June event with outstanding experts to start a discussion on @icrc.org preliminary recommendations.
#AI #IHL #LOAC
www.icrc.org/en/event/eve...

It is up to States Parties and the broader Convention community to defend and promote the norms of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Today marks 17 years of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. In nearly every context where #ClusterMunitions have been used, from Afghanistan to Yemen, Laos or Lebanon, they have taken a heavy toll on civilians.
We call on all States to join the Convention !
#IHL #ICRC
www.icrc.org/en/statement...

"It is possible to protect civilians in war." Pleased to share the @icrc.org President remarks at the #UnitedNations #SecurityCouncil open debate on #PoC today.
#GenevaConventions #IHL www.icrc.org/en/statement...

Unique opportunity to join the #ICRC Legal Division for a 1-year paid traineeship.
Don't miss the deadline to apply: 1 June 2025.
#JobOpportunity #IHL #HumanitarianLaw #LOAC #GenevaConventions #Disarmament @icrc.org
careers.icrc.org/job/Geneva-%...

The #Norwegian #RedCross is looking for an #Oslo based Senior Legal Adviser to work on the update of the #SanRemoManual on #NavalWarfare.
Come work with our team on this important project!
#JobOpportunity #IHL #LOAC #MaritimeLaw #GenevaConventions #ICRC
To apply: 303030.webcruiter.no/Main/Recruit...

Preserving human control over the use of force: A call to regulate lethal autonomous weapon systems under international law Stay updated with the latest news and ongoing initiatives of the ICRC.

The window to apply effective international regulations & controls on #AutonomousWeapon systems before they are in widespread use is rapidly shrinking
Important call for action by the @icrc.org President at this week #UnitedNations consultations
#LAWS #IHL #GenevaConventions
icrc.org/en/statement...

We must not only remember the past but learn from it and take urgent action to prevent the unspeakable from happening again

As States resume their work at the #NPT PrepCom, I am pleased to share the ICRC statement.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima & Nagasaki bombings. We must learn from the past & take action to prevent the unspeakable from happening again.
#Nuclear #IHL
www.icrc.org/en/statement...

UTBLICK: Safeguarding the Rule-Based World Order

Looking forward to joining an expert panel on 7 May with Sally Longworth, Ola Engdahl, @ulrikamodeer.bsky.social & @jjniyo.bsky.social, hosted by #SwedishRedCross. We will discuss how #IHL is being challenged today & how to prevent violations.
Interested? Register 👇
www.rodakorset.se/om-oss/semin...

Without an immediate resumption of aid deliveries, we will not have access to the food, medicines, and life-saving supplies needed to sustain many of our programmes in Gaza. "Civilians in Gaza are facing an overwhelming daily struggle to survive the dangers of hostilities, cope with relentless displacement, and endure the consequences of being deprived of urgent humanitarian assistance. This situation must not—and cannot—be allowed to escalate further.”

Israel and the occupied territories | Without an immediate resumption of aid deliveries, we won't have access to the food, medicines, and life-saving supplies needed to sustain many of its programmes in Gaza.

Read more in our news release: http://ms.spr.ly/63326SrpAe

"Today's wars are becoming the graveyards of our humanity, where respect for the laws of war is being buried alongside those who are meant to protect. We are seeing a normalisation of the intolerable in conflict zones across the world. If what we are witnessing in Gaza, which is the incarnation of hell, is the future of warfare, the very foundations of our humanity are at stake.”

“Protecting humanity in war is not a dream, it’s an achievable necessity that demands political courage and moral clarity.”

Pierre Krähenbüehl, ICRC Director General, underlined the urgent need to restore respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) at the Global Security Forum 👇🏽

From 27 States and the ICRC: We are witnessing a growing gap between #IHL and realities on the ground. The result is inconceivable suffering and destruction. The international community bears a collective responsibility to act urgently to stem the tide of IHL violations.
www.icrc.org/en/statement...

Artificial intelligence in the military domain: ICRC submits recommendations to UN Secretary-General

Pleased to share with you the @icrc.org Submission to UNSG on #ArtificialIntelligence in the Military Domain, including our Preliminary Recommendations on #AI in Decision Support Systems.
#IHL #HumanitarianLaw
www.icrc.org/en/article/a...

With too many wars raging and tensions rising, we must uphold international humanitarian law and the vision of a mine-free world

With too many wars raging & tensions rising, we must uphold #IHL & the vision of a mine-free world.
👇Today's joint statement by @icrc.org, #IFRC and #Nordic & #Baltic National #RedCross Societies.

#MineAwarenessDay #APMBC #AntiPersonnelMineBanConvention #HumanitarianLaw
www.icrc.org/en/news-rele...

Do international treaties banning weapons matter? Where would we be… | International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC Do international treaties banning weapons matter? Where would we be without them? As globally agreed limits on wars are questioned, this video imagines the world without the Anti-personnel Mine Ban ...

Do international treaties banning weapons matter? Where would we be without them?
As globally agreed limits on wars are questioned, this video imagines the world without the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention 👇🏽
#MineAwarenessDay #IHL @icrc.org

www.linkedin.com/posts/icrc_d...