The Australian government has promised to repair graves of Australian soldiers damaged in Gaza. Satellite images and witness reports showed bulldozing by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the Commonwealth war cemetery. More than 250 Australian soldiers, mostly from World War I, are buried there. The worst damage is in a cemetery corner holding World War II Australian graves. The cemetery is in Gaza City's Tuffah area, which has faced heavy shelling. Recent satellite photos reveal gravestones removed and soil disturbed, particularly in sections with Australian WWII soldiers' graves. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs confirmed “significant damage” including Australian graves and committed to restoring them when safe. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission will secure and repair the cemetery, but full work will take time due to humanitarian priorities. Peter Tinley, national president of the Returned & Services League of Australia, stressed the importance of preserving commemorative traditions and said they would monitor the situation closely. Essam Jarada, former Gaza cemetery caretaker, reported two bulldozing events in April and May 2025, damaging areas inside and outside the cemetery walls, including where Australian graves lie. The IDF said the bulldozing was part of defensive actions against terrorists in a combat zone near the cemetery. They also stated underground terrorist infrastructure was found and dismantled. Military historian Prof Peter Stanley noted the importance of these graves for Australians and said damage to war cemeteries has happened before in conflicts worldwide. He expressed hope the graves could be repaired and honored properly. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission called the damage “extensive” and stated it was unlikely they could enter Gaza soon to protect the site from further harm.