Israel and Egypt should open their borders to permit humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and to allow civilians to seek safety from the conflict on the occasion of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, addressing the United Nations Security Council.

Israel should immediately allow journalists and human rights monitors access to Gaza.

As an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza gets underway, both Israeli and Palestinian forces must address heightened civilian protection concerns because of likely combat in densely populated urban areas.

The following questions and answers address issues relating to international humanitarian law (the laws of war) governing the current conflict between Israel and Hamas to date in Gaza.

The Iranian government should end immediately its escalating persecution of Dr. Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel peace laureate and a leading human rights defender.

Israel and Hamas both must respect the prohibition under the laws of war against deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Israel's renewed use of artillery in Gaza poses an increased risk to civilians if the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) adopts the same reduced "safety zones" that resulted in many civilian casualties there in 2006.