Respect for humanitarian law key to protect human life, stability: EU commissioner

BRUSSELS

The rules to protect human life are brushed away like an unwelcome house guest, a European commissioner said Friday, lamenting the erosion of international humanitarian law and its implications for global stability.

Speaking at the EU Ambassadors' Conference 2026 in Brussels, European Commissioner for Equality and Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said that violations of international humanitarian law in contemporary conflicts had become "the norm rather than the exception," with catastrophic consequences for civilians and humanitarian workers alike.

"Today, the rules to protect human life are brushed away like an unwelcome house guest. Humanitarian access is used as a bargaining chip. Aid workers are targeted, even the humanitarian system itself is under attack as the need skyrockets," she said.

Lahbib stressed that international humanitarian law remains "the strongest shield we have to protect human life in war," but cautioned that its importance goes beyond immediate battlefield protection.

"It also protects global stability," she said, noting that when civilians are attacked and aid is blocked, the effects reverberate beyond conflict zones, such as fueling displacement, instability and the risk of failed states.

"Defending international humanitarian law is a moral duty, a legal obligation and a strategic necessity," she stressed.

Lahbib cited devastating examples from around the world, pointing to more than 130 active conflicts in which violations of international humanitarian law are widespread.

She described scenes she has witnessed firsthand: children starving, hospitals destroyed, aid convoys blocked, and funerals for humanitarian workers.

She pointed to Gaza, where she said nearly 600 humanitarian workers have been killed since October 2023. "If this continues, Gaza will become not only the graveyard of humanitarian workers, but the graveyard of international humanitarian law," she added.

Addressing prolonged crises in Sudan, she condemned the use of access restrictions as tactics of war, noting that the humanitarian catastrophe there has lasted more than 1,000 days, with millions displaced and basic services collapsing.

Turning to the Middle East, Lahbib warned that the escalation of violence in Iran and Lebanon risked leaving long‑lasting "scars" across the region.

"When schools, hospitals, museums, and archeological sites are attacked, a country's identity is attacked, and it can take generations to recover," she said.