The bearer of a flag of truce, and those who accompany him, are bound to act with good faith toward the enemy who receives them (Art. 4).
31. If the bearer of a flag of truce abuse the confidence which is accorded to him, he may be temporarily detained; and if it be proved that he has made use of his privileges to suborn to traitorous practices, he loses his right of inviolability.
B. RULES OF CONDUCT WITH REGARD TO THINGS
(a) Of the means of exercising violence. Of bombardment
Mitigations of the extreme rights of violence are necessarily consequent upon the rule that useless severity shall not be indulged in (Art. 4). It is thus that
32. It is forbidden
(a) To pillage, even in the case of towns taken by assault.
(b) To destroy public or private property, unless its destruction be required by an imperative necessity of war.
(c) To attack and bombard undefended places.