As the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war continue, the term "war crime" is being increasingly used, first by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and then by journalists and other political figures from nations around the world.
But the concept of internationally recognized war crimes is still a fairly new one, with significant developments within the last century that have formed the basis for how we define and categorize the offense today. So, instead of wondering how the horrific images and reports of civilian deaths can continue appearing in the headlines every day, click through to learn about what actions violate international laws, and how those norms governing conflict even came to be.