A/HRC/17/44 (b) Take all feasible precautions in the choice of means and methods of combat with a view to avoiding and in any event to minimizing incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects; (c) Do everything feasible to assess extent to which the attack may be expected to cause incidental damage and refrain from launching attacks which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life or injury to civilians or civilian objects, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated; and to cancel/suspend an attack should it become apparent that the target is not a military objective or that the incidental damage would be excessive; (d) Give effective advance warning of attacks which may affect the civilian population unless circumstances do not permit, for example, where a surprise attack is necessary to the success of an operation; (e) When a choice is possible between several military objectives for obtaining a similar military advantage, the objective to be selected must be that the attack on which may be expected to cause the least danger to civilian lives and to civilian objects. 115 148. International humanitarian law also incorporates specific protections for persons or objects. Of particular relevance in the current conflict are the following rules. It is prohibited to commit an act of hostility directed against historic monuments, works or art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples (art. 16 of Protocol II). Attacking, destroying, removing or otherwise rendering useless objects which are indispensable to the survival of the civilian population is prohibited (article 14 of the Protocol II). Sieges must still allow for vital foodstuffs and other essential supplies to be delivered to the civilian population.116 Parties to a conflict are obliged to allow and facilitate the unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need. 117 Humanitarian relief personnel must be respected and protected as well as objects used for humanitarian relief operations.118 149. Detailed international humanitarian law provisions deal with the protection of medical personnel and associated topics. Medical personnel and medical units and transport must be respected and protected in all circumstances. This rule is implicit in common article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which requires that wounded and sick be collected and cared for. It receives more explicit recognition under Protocol II which requires respect and protection of medical personnel, medical units and medical transport, which must not be the object of attack (arts. 9, para. 1, and 11, para. 1),119 which also provides specific rules regarding tending to the wounded and sick (see, for instance, article 8). The distinctive emblem of the red cross/red crescent is to be displayed by medical units and on medical transports and is to be respected in all circumstances. It is not to be used improperly (art. 12). 150. There are also a range of guarantees under international human rights law of particular relevance for this topic. This includes not only the prohibition of arbitrary 115 116 117 118 119 42 See rules 15–21, ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law, pp. 51–67. While sieges to achieve a military objective are permitted, sieges that cause starvation are not (see article 14 of Protocol II). The passage of foodstuffs and other essential supplies must be permitted: see rules 53 and 55 of the ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law, pp. 186 and 193. See rule 55 of the ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law, p. 193. See rules 31–32 of the ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law, pp. 105and 109. Note also article 8, paragraph 2 (e) (iii) of the Rome Statute. Medical personnel, units and transport lose their protection if they are being used, outside their humanitarian function, to commit acts harmful to the enemy: see article 11, para. 2 of the Protocol.