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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has assured that the graves of Australian soldiers, damaged amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, will be restored promptly. These graves, located in the Gaza War Cemetery in Gaza City, honor approximately 250 Australian troops, primarily from the esteemed light horse brigade, who fell during World War I while battling Turkish forces.
This historic cemetery, which also serves as the final resting place for thousands of British soldiers, has come under attack during recent military operations. Satellite imagery has revealed significant damage to the Australian section, reportedly due to Israeli military activities in their conflict with Hamas. This has raised concerns about the preservation of these sacred sites.
Reports, including those from The Guardian, indicate that the damage appears to have been inflicted by heavy machinery, rather than incidental artillery fire, as confirmed by witness accounts and expert analyses. The CWGC remains committed to maintaining these graves and is determined to restore them to their rightful condition as swiftly as possible.
Earlier reports detailed how satellite images showed the Australian section of the cemetery bore the brunt of damage caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza during its war against Hamas.The Guardian detailed how satellite images showed the Australian section of the cemetery bore the brunt of damage caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza during its war against Hamas.
Comments from witnesses and experts pointed to the destruction being caused by heavy machinery rather than stray artillery fire.
A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs said authorities were “very concerned” about the damage.
“The CWGC assesses there has been significant damage to the Gaza War Cemetery and this includes the graves of Australians as well as other nations,” a spokesperson told 9News.com.au.
“The Office of Australian War Graves is very concerned by the damage to the cemetery and Australian war graves.
“We remain committed to ensuring the restoration of all affected graves as soon as feasible.”
The spokesperson said the CWGC aimed to secure and repair the cemetery as soon as it was safe to do so, but it was expected that full reconstruction would take some time as the immediate post-conflict priority would be directed to humanitarian efforts.
Since the Gaza war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, huge tracts of Gaza have been laid to waste by Israel’s offensive.
More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
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