Families of Canadian soldiers interred in Gaza are urging the government to increase efforts to safeguard their loved ones’ resting places. They seek the repatriation of the last Canadian troops buried overseas at the Gaza War Cemetery, which has faced repeated damage by the Israel Defense Forces.
The cemetery, located in Gaza City’s Tuffah district, is the final resting place for twenty-two Canadian soldiers who perished during the UN’s inaugural major peacekeeping mission after the 1956 Israeli invasion of Egypt. Recent aerial imagery scrutinized by CBC’s visual investigations team reveals significant destruction at the cemetery, including demolished headstones, earthworks, and military vehicles stationed around the site. Explosions have even caused a section of the Canadian peacekeeper plot to be blasted into the air.
Relatives of soldiers buried at the site, like the sisters of Paul Picard and Adriaan Bons, express distress over the condition of their family members’ graves. Lia Bons described the site as devoid of headstones, resembling a barren landscape. Marguerite Picard desires to rebury her brother beside their parents, emphasizing the wish for a proper tribute to his memory.
The IDF confirmed conducting operations at the cemetery to eliminate a tunnel threat, disregarding the soldiers’ remains buried under the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s administration. Notably, recent satellite images indicate ongoing damage to the cemetery, raising concerns about the preservation of historical and memorial sites dedicated to fallen servicemen.
Canadian officials, including Global Affairs Canada, have expressed deep concern over the reported damage to the Gaza War Cemetery. While efforts to assess the situation and engage with local authorities continue, the urgency to protect these sacred sites remains paramount.