20251016 - Trump violates international law when he threatens Hamas over disarmament

COMMENT

The United Nations has designated Hamas as a political movement while its armed wings are within the Law of Belligerent Occupation, which states that occupied people have the right to form armed groups to resist occupation. But Hamas is branded a "terrorist organization" on religionized and ideological grounds.

Members of Hamas have the full right to resist the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the annexation of the West Bank. If they take and use that right, they must distinguish themselves from the civilian population, or based on articles 43 & 44 of the Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, at least carry their weapons openly during attacks and deployments.