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equirements permit. 291 The same shall apply so far as possible to fixed coastal installations usedexclusively by these craft for their humanitarian missions. 292The phrase, “so far as operational requirements permit,” has been used to acknowledgethe risks incurred by such craft, because of their small size, in a zone of military operations. 293As provided in Articles 22 and 24 of the GWS-Sea, the names and descriptions of thesesmall craft (including registered gross tonnage, the length from stem to stern, and the number ofmasts and funnels) must be notified to the parties to the conflict ten days before such craft areemployed. 294 In addition, if the craft are not military craft belonging to a party to the conflict,they must be provided an official commission from the party to the conflict on which theydepend and with certificates from the responsible authorities. 2957.12.2 Duties and Liabilities of Hospital Ships and Coastal Rescue Craft. The followingduties and liabilities apply to hospital ships and coastal rescue craft.7.12.2.1 Relief and Assistance Without Distinction of Nationality. The militaryhospital ships, commissioned civilian hospital ships, authorized neutral civilian hospital ships,and coastal rescue craft described in Articles 22, 24, 25, and 27 of the GWS-Sea, respectively,shall afford relief and assistance to the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked without distinction ofnationality. 296 In other words, these vessels should help friendly and enemy personnel withoutdistinction. 297291 GWS-SEA art. 27 (“Under the same conditions as those provided for in Articles 22 and 24, small craft employedby the State or by the officially recognized lifeboat institutions for coastal rescue operations, shall also be respectedand protected, so far as operational requirements permit.”).292 GWS-SEA art. 27 (“The same shall apply so far as possible to fixed coastal installations used exclusively by thesecraft for their humanitarian missions.”).293 See GWS-SEA COMMENTARY 172 (“Coastal rescue craft must be respected and protected in the same way ashospital ships, wherever they are operating. Article 30 refers to their use, and the commentary on that provisionshould be consulted. The protection is not absolute, however; it is afforded ‘so far as operational requirementspermit’. This wording was used in order to take account of the risks incurred by such craft, because of their smallsize, in a zone of military operations. The limitation also has regard to past events and to the requirements ofmilitary security. Thus, although lifeboats may in practice be exposed to certain risks, a belligerent which hasrecognized them will never be allowed to make a deliberate attack on them, unless they have committed a gravebreach of neutrality.”). See also II-A FINAL RECORD OF THE DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE OF GENEVA OF 1949 202 (“Itwas, however, understood that the protection promised to these low tonnage craft as well as to coastal installationscould not be absolute. Such protection can only be afforded within the measure of operational necessities. Abelligerent face to face with an oponent [sic] in a restricted maritime area would find it difficult to tolerate the trafficof a large number of very fast, small craft belonging to the adverse party.”).294 Refer to § 7.12.1.1 (Military Hospital Ships).295 Refer to § 7.12.1.2 (Commissioned Civilian Hospital Ships).296 GWS-SEA art. 30 (“The vessels described in Articles 22, 24, 25 and 27 shall afford relief and assistance to thewounded, sick and shipwrecked without distinction of nationality.”).297 For example, Vice Admiral Timothy Keating, News Briefing with Vice Admiral Timothy Keating, Apr. 12, 2003(“The United States Naval Ship Comfort, our hospital ship, is providing care not only to our wounded but to Iraqicivilians and Iraqi military. This morning, there are over 80 Iraqi enemy prisoners of war who are in a significantlyserious medical condition that they have been airlifted out to the United States ship Comfort, which is on station in455