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Combat Patrol & Protected Buildings
Hospitals enjoy special protection under LOAC. This protection is conditional and can only be lost if the hospital is used for harmful acts (e.g., storing weapons or launching attacks). Even then, a warning must be issued, giving time to stop the harmful use—unless immediate action is required by military necessity.
General Rules Still Apply
Even when a hospital loses its special protection, any attack must still comply with the general principles of LOAC: distinction (only targeting combatants and military objectives), proportionality (avoiding excessive harm to civilians), and precaution (taking all feasible steps to minimize harm).
Restraint Protects Legitimacy
Tactical success should never normalize attacks on protected sites. Leaders must weigh short-term gains against the long-term legitimacy and honor of their forces.