In the rapidly evolving realm of military innovation, one of the greatest threats to human rights, international security, and humanitarian law is the emergence of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), commonly known as “killer robots.” These systems have the capability to identify, select, and engage targets without human intervention. The advancements in military technology by countries like Russia, Israel, and others demonstrate that the age of killer robots is no longer science fiction—it’s our reality.

Perhaps the most alarming example is Israel’s use of AI-driven warfare in Gaza. For several years, Israel has employed AI-based facial recognition software at checkpoints in the West Bank. More concerning is the deployment of systems like Lavender, which marked 37,000 individuals as targets during the early stages of the Gaza war. This illustrates how artificial intelligence is making life-or-death decisions. Due to Lavender’s 10% error rate, thousands of innocent civilians were reportedly misidentified—violating the principles of proportionality and distinction enshrined in international humanitarian law.

Israel’s military arsenal has also included booby-trapped robots, remote-controlled dogs, and AI-guided quadcopters to bomb civilian areas in Gaza. These autonomous systems indiscriminately destroy infrastructure and human lives. With 59% of buildings and 87% of schools in Gaza now destroyed, this represents not only a humanitarian disaster but also a direct consequence of dehumanized, automated warfare.

Russia, too, has integrated autonomous weapons into its military........

© The Spine Times