Gaza – Together – The Middle East Eye website said that the British cemeteries in the Gaza Strip are the only ones that have not been touched by the Israeli bombing.
The website stated that the British cemeteries in Gaza are the only ones that were not destroyed by Israel during the current war on the Strip, at a time when all Palestinian cemeteries were destroyed.
The website confirmed that there are two cemeteries in the Gaza Strip containing the remains of British soldiers, most of whom died in World War I, and a few of whom died in World War II.
These cemeteries belong to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, based in the United Kingdom, and are considered a major archaeological site in the Palestinian sector.
The first cemetery is located in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, north of Gaza, while the second is located north of Deir Al-Balah in the Al-Zawaida area. Both cemeteries have survived since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, and have survived many conflicts before, according to the site.
The
website noted that in 2006, the war cemetery in Gaza was partially damaged by an Israeli missile, and Israel paid 90,000 pounds sterling in compensation.
The site also added that it appears that Israel deliberately avoided British cemeteries in this war. The two cemeteries suffered only partial damage as a result of nearby attacks, while the graves or tombstones were not touched.
This comes at a time when almost all Palestinian cemeteries throughout Gaza have been destroyed and looted since the start of the war.
Among the cemeteries that were destroyed were the cemeteries of Shuja’iyya, Beit Hanoun, and Khan Yunis, in addition to the cemetery of the Church of Saint Porphyrius – believed to be the third oldest church in the world – which was turned into rubble.
Source: Maan News Agency