Please read and share widely. Feedback very welcome. It is sad that we have to write an article on the deliberate and systematic targeting of hospitals in 2023!

We leverage unique qualitative evidence derived from interviews which shows that hospital bombings induce rebels and civilians to resist more fiercely.

Next to the clear violation of international law, the targeting of hospitals is thus militarily and politically counterproductive.

Combining matching methods with a difference-in-differences estimation, we find that the bombing of hospitals leads to a short term, but marked increase in insurgent violence.

We develop an argument why violent actors (in this case pro-government forces) target medical infrastructure and how it may be distinct from the direct targeting of civilians.

I can’t take it anymore. How much more pain?

No but that is a great suggestion. Thanks!

Ja. Und die Tatsache, dass man das derzeit explizit sagen muss, zeigt, wie tief wir gesunken sind.

Kollektivbestrafung einer Bevölkerung ist aus gutem Grund seit dem Ende des 2. WK international geächtet und allerhand Forschung zeigt auch, dass sie nicht funktioniert