The employment of human shields to protect military objectives is a violation of which law of war principle?

The use of human shields to protect military objectives is a violation of the principle of distinction, which is a fundamental tenet of international humanitarian law. The principle of distinction requires parties to a conflict to differentiate between military targets and civilians. This means that combatants must avoid placing civilians in harm's way and should not use them to shield military objectives from attack.

By employing human shields, a military force is failing to uphold this principle as it disregards the protection afforded to civilians in armed conflict. This not only endangers the lives of non-combatants but also undermines the legal and ethical standards that govern warfare, emphasizing that civilians should not be used as tools in military strategy. Therefore, the principle of distinction is clearly violated when human shields are utilized in military operations.