Abstract

In today’s armed conflicts targeted attacks on humanitarian personnel has become a direct target of organized violence. International humanitarian law, from its outset, has protected health personnel, who are entitled to be respected, providing necessary assistance to carry out its humanitarian mission. In addition, parties to armed conflict must ensure the safety of humanitarian personnel authorized to provide assistance to victims, and this authorization can’t be refused or removed for any arbitrary reasons. It also provides protection to members of peace and humanitarian missions within the United Nations mandate. IHL provides freedom of movement to impartial humanitarian organizations, which is essential to the performance of their duties. Finally, the criminal protection of humanitarian personnel and resources has been included in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and in the Spanish criminal law. _Published online_: 11 December 2017.