The bodies of Australian soldiers buried in Gaza have “very likely” been disturbed, says independent senator David Pocock, as new photographs handed to parliament show widespread damage to graves caused by Israeli bulldozers.
Around 146 of the 263 graves of Australian soldiers buried in Gaza have been damaged, according to Senate estimates heard last week.
New images submitted for Senate estimates show damage to headstones, as well as tons of dirt displaced and pushed onto high berms.
Australian War Graves Office director Major General Wade Stothart also said it was “very possible” the soldiers’ bodies had been disturbed, moved or damaged.
Pocock told The Guardian: “Officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs have now confirmed that it is very possible that the bodies of our fallen soldiers have been altered.
“But looking at the images that have emerged now, I would say it seems very likely.”
Most of the 263 Australian graves in Gaza Cemetery are of light horsemen who served in the First World War. But the worst damage has been done to the southern corner of the cemetery, which houses the graves of Australians who died during the Second World War.
The Tuffah area of Gaza City, where the cemetery is located, has been bombed throughout the current conflict. But in April and May of last year there was more systematic and extensive damage caused by Israel Defense Forces bulldozers to the southern corner of the cemetery. Hundreds of graves have been desecrated and earthen dams have been built throughout the cemetery.
The revelations, published in The Guardian, sparked widespread outrage, including among Australian families who spoke of their shock at learning that their relatives’ graves had been razed and their remains missing.
Last week Stothart was asked about the damage and told Senate estimates: “The photographs and satellite images that have appeared in the media are very evident of serious damage.”
“At this stage it is difficult to assess a detailed study and assessment of each grave, the remains and the amount of damage that occurred,” Stothart said. “We have received no direct reports that human remains have been exposed or directly damaged.
“However, looking at the images and aerial satellite images, it is quite possible that Australian servicemen in war graves may have been affected by the damage that occurred.”
Asked if he would expect the bodies of the Australian soldiers to have been removed, Stothart said: “It is very possible, but again, direct and compelling evidence will require an assessment and on-the-ground study of the burial plots and graves that have been affected.”
There was no current plan or timeline to repair the graves due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Pocock told the estimates hearing that several constituents had contacted him “very concerned” about possible damage to their relatives’ graves.
He later told The Guardian: “Amid other violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, it is appalling that the Israel Defense Forces have bulldozed Australian war graves in Gaza.”
The independent senator said the latest revelations “will be distressing for the soldiers’ descendants and for many Australians.” He said the Australian government should put pressure on Israel to restore the tombs.
After being shown satellite images of the damage to the Gaza cemetery, the IDF said it had been forced to take defensive measures during military operations.
“During IDF operations in the area, terrorists attempted to attack IDF troops and took refuge in structures near the cemetery. In response, to ensure the safety of IDF troops operating on the ground, operational measures were taken in the area to neutralize the identified threats.”
Last month, Canadian broadcaster CBC reported that the IDF had confirmed it had dug beneath the graves to a depth of 30 metres, but could not say whether it had taken any steps to preserve the human remains. He said he excavated the cemetery to destroy a Hamas tunnel.
The Australian families have demanded an apology from the State of Israel, as well as promises that it would pay reparations.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said last month that he had told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that he had “committed to checking the matter with the relevant officials and authorities upon his return to Israel.”
Other questions to Herzog’s office have not been answered.
