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in self-defense against medical units or facilities must be proportionate. 251 For example, a singleenemy rifleman firing from a hospital window would <strong>war</strong>rant a response against the riflemanonly, rather than the destruction of the hospital.7.10.3.3 Conditions Not Depriving Military Medical Units or Facilities ofProtection. The following conditions shall not be considered as depriving a medical unit orestablishment of the protection guaranteed by Article 19 of the GWS:• That the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed, and that they use the arms intheir own defense, or in that of the wounded and sick in their charge.• That in the absence of armed orderlies, the unit or establishment is protected by a picket,by sentries, or by an escort.• That small arms and ammunition taken from the wounded and sick and not yet handed tothe proper service are found in the unit or establishment.• That personnel and material of the veterinary service are found in the unit orestablishment, without forming an integral part thereof; and• That the humanitarian activities of medical units and establishments or of their personnelextend to the care of civilian wounded or sick. 2527.10.3.4 Arming of Military Medical Units or Facilities. The GWS contemplatesthat the personnel of medical units or establishments may be armed, and it does not specificallyrestrict the weapons that medical units or facilities may have. 253Military medical units and facilities may be armed to the extent necessary to enable themto defend themselves or their patients against un<strong>law</strong>ful attacks. 254 For example, military medicaland religious personnel may be equipped with weapons to meet internal security needs, tomaintain discipline, to protect staff and patients from criminal threats of violence, and to preventthe theft of medical supplies. On the other hand, medical units or establishments should not be251 Refer to § 2.4 (Proportionality).252 GWS art. 22 (“The following conditions shall not be considered as depriving a medical unit or establishment ofthe protection guaranteed by Article 19: (1) That the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed, and that theyuse the arms in their own defence, or in that of the wounded and sick in their charge. (2) That in the absence ofarmed orderlies, the unit or establishment is protected by a picket or by sentries or by an escort. (3) That small armsand ammunition taken from the wounded and sick and not yet handed to the proper service, are found in the unit orestablishment. (4) That personnel and material of the veterinary service are found in the unit or establishment,without forming an integral part thereof. (5) That the humanitarian activities of medical units and establishments orof their personnel extend to the care of civilian wounded or sick.”).253 See GWS art. 22 (“The following conditions shall not be considered as depriving a medical unit or establishmentof the protection guaranteed by Article 19: (1) That the personnel of the unit or establishment are armed, and thatthey use the arms in their own defence, or in that of the wounded and sick in their charge. (2) That in the absence ofarmed orderlies, the unit or establishment is protected by a picket or by sentries or by an escort.”).254 For example, U.S. military medical and religious personnel have been armed with the M9 pistol, M16 rifle, orM4 carbine.448

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