Families of Canadian soldiers interred in the Gaza War Cemetery are urging the government to take stronger measures to safeguard their loved ones’ final resting places. They are advocating for the repatriation of the remains of these soldiers, who are the last Canadian troops buried abroad, from a cemetery that has been repeatedly impacted by the actions of the Israel Defense Forces.
The Gaza War Cemetery, located in the Tuffah district of Gaza City, is the burial site for twenty-two Canadian servicemen who perished during the UN’s inaugural major peacekeeping operation initiated in response to the Israeli incursion into Egypt in 1956. Aerial imagery analyzed by CBC’s visual investigations team reveals the progressive destruction inflicted by the IDF on the cemetery. This includes the demolition of headstones, the creation of berms using heavy machinery, the positioning of military vehicles around the area, and detonations causing a portion of the Canadian peacekeeper section to be blasted into the air.
Relatives of soldiers buried in the affected area, such as the sisters of Paul Picard from Quebec and Adriaan Bons from Ontario, expressed distress over the condition of their brothers’ graves. Lia Bons, after witnessing the altered landscape through aerial images, lamented the disappearance of headstones and the transformation of the site into a barren expanse. Marguerite Picard desires to relocate her brother’s remains beside their parents, emphasizing the wish for his name to be acknowledged on a shared headstone.
Concerning the destruction, an IDF representative from the 401st Brigade Combat Team attributed the damage to the excavation of a tunnel by the IDF, carried out without precautions for the cemetery’s sanctity. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission manages the site where the Canadian soldiers are laid to rest.
Despite efforts to seek clarity from the IDF and other authorities, no Canadian officials have been granted access to the cemetery for assessment. Recent satellite images indicate ongoing harm to the site, with structures sustaining damage, including the archway leading to the Canadian section being obliterated.
The Canadian government’s response to the situation remains unspecified, with Global Affairs Canada emphasizing the significance of preserving historical and memorial sites dedicated to veterans. The department refrained from divulging details of diplomatic engagements with relevant parties, stressing the importance of honoring those who served with utmost respect.