What are the obligations of Israel and Hamas to protect civilians?

Under the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, of which it is a signatory, Israel qualifies as a combatant, or “warring party”, in Gaza, which obliges it to observe strict prohibitions against targeting civilians, using starvation as a method of war and more. But Israel’s obligations towards Gazans could be greater still if it were considered an “occupying power”, a status that is hotly disputed. Israel claims it is not, but many international bodies argue that in practice it is: the country controls imports and access to Gaza to a significant degree, as well as maintaining the Palestinian population registry through its defence ministry.