Is taunting civilians in armed conflict a violation of law?

Taunting civilians in armed conflict can be against the rules of war, just like it's not fair to tease someone when they're already being bullied.

Imagine you're playing a game of tag with your friends, and one person starts laughing at another who is already out of breath. That’s not very nice, it feels like they’re making things harder for that friend. In real wars, civilians are people who aren’t fighting, like kids in a school or adults in a market.

If soldiers start taunting them, like shouting "You're scared!" when they're hiding behind buildings, it can make the civilians feel even more afraid and unsafe. That's why some rules say you shouldn't do that, it’s not fair.

Sometimes, these rules are followed, and sometimes they’re broken. But if a group of soldiers keeps taunting people who aren’t fighting, it might be considered breaking the law of war, just like teasing someone when they're already being bullied isn’t very nice.