British war graves damaged by Israeli forces in Gaza were 'used to store Hamas weapons'

The cemetery contains 3,217 burials from the First World War and 210 from the Second World War.

Most of the graves are British but many Commonwealth veterans are also buried there, including more than 200 Australians.

Rows of gravestones have been removed, and the damage suggests the “systematic” use of heavy machinery, the Guardian has reported. Witnesses say the IDF used bulldozers on the cemetery on two occasions last year.

But Israel says that “underground terrorist infrastructure was identified within the cemetery”. In August last year, a missile launcher was reportedly found amid the graves. A Hamas supply tunnel was also located nearby.

Israel has long maintained that Hamas uses civilian structures as cover for its military operations.

Following the discovery of the missile launcher last year, an IDF soldier told the Mail on Sunday: “Hamas have militarised every inch of Gaza, from hospitals to cemeteries.

'It is a win-win for them – if Israel shies away from military activity in these areas, Hamas survives.

'If Israel does take action, they are condemned. Using war graves to cover their tunnels is a perfect example.”

The IDF insisted at the time: “The IDF in no way targets cemeteries.

“Hamas deliberately embeds itself within and adjacent to civilian sites, including cemeteries. As a result, damage might occur.”

Describing the graveyard damage to the Guardian, Essam Jarada, the cemetery’s former caretaker, said that two IDF bulldozing operations took place at the cemetery in April and May 2025.

One of these took place inside the cemetery walls and saw bulldozers used in an area where Australian soldiers were buried. More than 100 graves were disturbed.

The Gaza War Cemetery was built after the end of the First World War and is managed by the UK’s Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).

It, and a second Allied grave site in Gaza, the Deir El Belah War Cemetery, have been cared for by Palestinians working for the CWGC for more than 100 years.

The area surrounding the Gaza War Cemetery has been shelled throughout the conflict, which began when Hamas militants slaughtered more than 1000 people in the October 7 attacks in 2023.

Commenting on the latest photos of the damage, the IDF said it had been forced to take defensive measures.

A spokesman said: “At the relevant time, the area in question was an active combat zone. During IDF operations in the area, terrorists attempted to attack IDF troops and took cover in structures close to the cemetery.

“In response, to ensure the safety of IDF troops operating on the ground, operational measures were taken in the area to neutralise identified threats.

“We emphasise that underground terrorist infrastructure was identified within the cemetery and in its surrounding area, which the IDF located and dismantled. IDF activity in sensitive areas is approved by senior ranks in the army and handled with the required sensitivity needed.”

The Royal British Legion said: “We are saddened to hear that graves of British and allied personnel who bravely served in the first and second world wars have been damaged.

“War graves honour the memory of every member of the armed forces who has made the ultimate sacrifice and deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.”

It is not the first time the cemetery has been damaged by Israel. In 2006, it paid compensation to the CWGC after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Two years later, 350 gravestones needed to be repaired following damage caused by Israeli shells.

But Hamas has also reportedly targeted the graves. In 2024, the Telegraph reported on an alleged plan to exhume British and Commonwealth troops from cemeteries in Gaza and to hold their remains ‘hostage’.

Allegedly hatched before the war broke out, the plot was said to be aimed at keeping the UK from moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The documents, reported to have been discovered following a raid on a Hamas compound, stated: “The British government will find itself in an embarrassing position in front of the British people, its political elite and its military if any country desecrates the corpses of its soldiers.”