The Royal Canadian Legion says it's "devastated" by the Israeli destruction of a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery containing 23 Canadian soldiers.The cemetery, located in the al-Tuffah district of Gaza City, contained graves of Canadian, British, Australian, and Indian servicemen who died in the First and Second World Wars, as well as those who died in UN peacekeeping service.Satellite images show that the southernmost part of the cemetery, the section containing the Canadian graves, has been completely destroyed.“We are devastated to hear of the reported level of destruction in this cemetery, the final resting place of Canadian Armed Forces members and Commonwealth comrades who gave their lives serving their countries," said the Royal Canadian Legion in a statement to the Western Standard."We will remember them all, and want to see this sacred site reconstructed as soon as possible.”The Western Standard has reached out to Global Affairs Canada and the Israeli government, but both failed to respond to repeated requests for comment over two days..An article from The Guardian has exposed satellite images and firsthand accounts of the destruction of a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery containing 23 Canadian soldiers.Satellite images show that the southernmost part of the cemetery, the section containing the Canadian graves, has been completely destroyed.The destruction was done by the Israel Defence Forces, who said in a statement to The Guardian that, "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.”However, this is conflicted with firsthand accounts from the cemetery's former caretaker, Essam Jaradah, who says that the area was bulldozed after the Israeli army had withdrawn from the area, not in the heat of battle like the IDF spokesperson claims."I witnessed this bulldozing after the Israeli army withdrew from the area, around late April or early May," said Jaradah."...an area of slightly less than 1 dunum (1,000 sq metres) was bulldozed inside the cemetery walls, specifically in the corner of the cemetery, which contains graves of Australian soldiers. The bulldozing covered the area from the bench where foreign visitors used to sit up to the memorial monument. Bulldozers also created sand mounds that were used as earth barriers," Jaradah continued, speaking on the operation that led to the cemetery's destruction.The destruction of the cemetery came as Israeli forces continued their ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, a conflict that has had a tentative ceasefire since October.
