A Daughter's Anguish: Her Father's Gaza War Grave Bulldozed by Israel, Demanding Answers Amidst Devastation.
"Fighting for those who love him, our darling daddy died." These words, etched into a tombstone that no longer stands, are almost too much for Wilma Spence to bear. In the quiet solitude of her home, with tears shimmering in her eyes, Wilma recounts the inscription from her father, Albert Kemp's, headstone. Albert, an Anzac soldier, was laid to rest in the Gaza War Cemetery.
But here's where it gets devastatingly real: Wilma recently learned that her father's resting place, along with hundreds of other Commonwealth war dead, has almost certainly been destroyed. The culprit? The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who reportedly bulldozed the graves. Wilma hasn't received official confirmation, but she knows the exact location of her father's grave – a section of the cemetery housing Australian soldiers from World War II, an area that satellite imagery indicates has suffered the most extensive damage.
An IDF spokesperson offered a justification, stating that the graves were destroyed to address "underground terrorist infrastructure... identified within the cemetery and in its surrounding area." This explanation, however, has been met with profound skepticism from the families of the Anzac soldiers, including Wilma and her family, who are now left in a state of agonizing uncertainty about the whereabouts of Albert's remains, gripped by overwhelming grief and anger.
"They have no respect for the living, so why would they respect the dead?" Wilma poignantly asks, directing her frustration towards the Israeli government. She was too young to know her father, who enlisted in October 1939, serving in the 2/7 Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force. His service spanned various theaters in Europe and the Middle East, earning him accolades like the Africa Star and the 1939-45 Star. He was promoted to acting corporal in 1941, but tragically died in Palestine the following year at the young age of 27.
Wilma's knowledge of her father came from secondhand accounts. She dedicated herself to tracing his Anzac journey, traveling across Crete and the Middle East. Yet, it was at his grave that she felt the most profound connection to him. In 1995, Wilma bravely journeyed to the Gaza War Cemetery, navigating a two-hour Mossad interrogation and armed checkpoints. Carrying a wreath, a photograph of her father, and an Australian flag, she found his tombstone: Grave 3, Row A, Section B.
"I just broke down, started crying," she recalls. "It was very emotional. I suppose, in some way, I’d like to go back, and take somebody else with me."
And this is the part most people miss: The site she cherished appears to have been obliterated by IDF bulldozers. Satellite images reveal extensive earthmoving within the last year, particularly in the southern corner of the cemetery. Rows of gravestones are gone, and the soil in sections A and B, where most of the World War II soldiers, predominantly Australian, are buried, shows significant disturbance. A large earth berm now runs through the center of this ravaged area.
When presented with these satellite images, the IDF reiterated its claim of defensive actions during military operations. They stated that "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 neutralize identified threats."
Since October 2023, Wilma has been persistently writing to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, imploring him to safeguard these sites and investigate any damage. However, she feels she's been passed from department to department, referred to the foreign affairs department or the Office of Australian War Graves. She expressed her disappointment in a letter to the Prime Minister's office: "I consider this an abrogation of the responsibility of our national spokesperson, our PM. And to his responsibilities to those Australian Citizens so totally concerned at the genocide of Palestinians."
She further questioned, "My father, a World War 2 soldier is buried in the Gaza War Cemetery along with some 200 other Australian soldiers. Perhaps the Prime Minister could find out whether the cemetery has been obliterated by nearby bombing and explain whether action will be taken to restore their gravesites or alternatively return their remains to Australia."
With the impending visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Wilma is urging the Albanese government to finally demonstrate the leadership she has been advocating for. At a minimum, she desires pressure on Israel to permit staff from the Office of Australian War Graves to enter Gaza and assess the damage. "I’d like them to raise it with the Israeli president," she insists. "I think they’re passing the buck, continually referring it to the Australian war graves commission."
The Prime Minister's office has been contacted for comment.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs confirmed "significant damage" to the Gaza War Cemetery, including the graves of Australians. The Office of Australian War Graves is "very concerned," and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission intends to secure and repair the cemetery when it is safe, though full reconstruction is expected to take time, with immediate post-conflict priorities directed towards humanitarian efforts.
On Friday, acting Prime Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the government's "obvious concern" about the destruction of Australian war graves in Gaza. He stated, "We have clearly expressed our concern. As soon as the situation is one where we can safely repair those graves, obviously, we will do that, but that’s clearly not what the situation is on this day."
Wilma poured her heart into a poem about her father, its final lines capturing the profound significance of his grave and the deep pain of its loss: "I stood at your grave in the Gaza sun, the smell of Eucalypts filling the air. My tears fell in the dust, it seemed unjust to lose you, so young – unfair." She concludes with a poignant wish: "And I wished you home to comfort and love, and those who cared."
What are your thoughts on the destruction of war graves in conflict zones? Do you believe the Israeli government's explanation is sufficient? Share your views in the comments below!
