International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals

It's fair to say that the "laws of war" have existed since the dawn of time, since the existence of war itself. Even if in a rudimentary way, limits and rules used in conflicts were established among the most diverse civilizations and peoples (BOUVIER; LANGHOLTZ, 2020). Many scholars consider the First Geneva Convention (1864) to be the emergence of what we understand in modern times as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), but it is worth saying that many of the principles established there, such as respect for and protection of human life in the context of wars, were already supported in earlier times, often in the form of customary law (BOUVIER; LANGHOLTZ, 2020). However, it is possible to argue that in ancient times, the establishment of limits on the use of force in armed conflicts was motivated by economic reasons, which resulted in humanitarian benefits. Examples include restrictions on the use of poison in conquered areas, so that the territory could later be exploited by the victorious party (BOUVIER; LANGHOLTZ, 2020).