<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Graves of Australian soldders damaged during ongoing fighting in Gaza will</span><br/><span>be repaired as quickly as possible, officials have pledged.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Gaza War Cemetery in Gaza City is the resting place of about 250 Australian troops, with the majority from the famous light horse brigade, killed fighting Turkish forces in World War I.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They're buried alongside thousands of British soldiers in the cemetery, which is managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/gaza-egypt-border-reopens-nearly-two-years-after-israel-closed-it-official-says/97cd93d6-bfff-49e9-b4af-ad93f7e21dbe" rel="" target="_blank" title="Gaza-Egypt border reopens nearly two years after Israel closed it"><strong><span>Gaza-Egypt border reopens nearly two years after Israel closed it</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier reports detailed how satellite images showed the Australian section of the cemetery bore the brunt of damage caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza during its war against Hamas.</span><em><span>The Guardian</span></em><span> detailed how satellite images showed the Australian section of the cemetery bore the brunt of damage caused by Israeli military operations in Gaza during its war against Hamas.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Comments from witnesses and experts pointed to the destruction being caused by heavy machinery rather than stray artillery fire.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans' Affairs said authorities were "very concerned" about the damage.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/anzac-cemetery-bulldozed-during-gaza-war-to-be-restored/84483e0e-cd6e-48d9-acfe-72865d376d20" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The CWGC assesses there has been significant damage to the Gaza War Cemetery and this includes the graves of Australians as well as other nations," a spokesperson told 9News.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The Office of Australian War Graves is very concerned by the damage to the cemetery and Australian war graves. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We remain committed to ensuring the restoration of all affected graves as soon as feasible."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/gus-lamont-missing-update-police-to-provide-significant-update/d6b4b5d2-a122-4731-ac12-3c14953ed2c5" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Person with close ties to household of Gus Lamont identified as suspect in his disappearance</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The spokesperson said the CWGC aimed to secure and repair the cemetery as soon as it was safe to do so, but it was expected that full reconstruction would take some time as the immediate post-conflict priority would be directed to humanitarian efforts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Since the Gaza war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, huge tracts of Gaza have been laid to waste by Israel's offensive.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A 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