Gaza War Cemetery destroyed during the recent Middle East conflict

Satellite imagery appears to show extensive damage to the Gaza War Cemetery. However, the cemetery has suffered damage on previous occasions as well. Israeli shells struck the three-hectare cemetery twice during the 2000s. Damage caused by an Israeli airstrike resulted in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission receiving £90,000 in compensation in 2006. During the 2008–2009 conflict in Gaza, approximately 350 headstones required repair after being damaged by Israeli shelling.

Completed in 1920, the cemetery has been maintained by members of the same family for more than a century. For 45 years, it was tended by Ibrahim Jeradeh, who was employed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The cemetery contains the graves of military personnel from several Commonwealth nations, including 22 Canadians. Following reports of extensive damage to the site, some families of Canadian soldiers buried there have called on the Canadian government to take action.

The cemetery is also notable because it contains some of the last Canadian soldiers buried overseas after serving their country. Since 1971, Canadian policy has generally provided that when a member of the Canadian Armed Forces dies outside Canada, and the next of kin requests repatriation, the federal government pays the transportation costs required to return the remains to Canada for burial.