Australian government vows to repair war graves in Gaza bulldozed by Israeli forces

The Australian government has vowed to repair the graves of dozens of Australian soldiers in Gaza after satellite imagery and witness testimony revealed they had been bulldozed by the Israel Defense Forces.

The Gaza War Cemetery, located in the al-Tuffah district of Gaza City, is administered by the Commonwealth and contains the remains of more than 250 Australian soldiers, most of them light horsemen who served in the First World War. The majority of graves in the cemetery are British, but the worst damage has been sustained to a corner housing graves of Australians who died during the Second World War.

Satellite imagery shows extensive earthworks in the southernmost corner of the graveyard. Bomb craters are visible around the cemetery, but the destruction in this area appears to have been more systematic. Rows of gravestones have been removed, the topsoil has been churned up, and a substantial earth berm runs across the middle of the affected area, suggesting the use of heavy equipment.

There was no sign of the earthworks in March 2025, but they became clearly visible in a satellite picture from August 8. The disturbed area is even more apparent in imagery from December 13. Vegetation has regrown among the ranks of gravestones covering the rest of the cemetery, but not in the affected section.

The Tuffah area of Gaza City, in which the cemetery sits, has been shelled throughout the current conflict. However, the more systematic and extensive damage caused by military earthmoving has occurred within the last year to the southern corner of the cemetery.

Australian authorities said it could be months or years before they can access the Commonwealth war cemetery in Gaza. Officials also noted that Australian graves might face further damage as conflict continues in the occupied territory.