According to an August 16, 2024, report by The Telegraph, Hamas devised a plan to exhume soldiers buried in British cemeteries in Gaza and use their remains as leverage to blackmail the British government. The article draws from a detailed document uncovered by IDF forces in Khan Younis in late January 2024 during the ongoing Swords of Iron War.

The document, linked to Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s political leader, and Mohammed Deif, head of its military wing, was found inside a plastic folder. It appears to have been drafted in October 2022 by an unidentified Hamas operative, responding to then-Prime Minister Liz Truss’s statement about relocating the British embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Alongside this blackmail plan, additional reports surfaced detailing Hamas’s coordination with Hezbollah in Lebanon and other terrorist groups.

The document details Hamas’s demands, along with its plan to exhume soldiers’ remains from British cemeteries in Gaza, intending to use them as leverage. Hamas demands that the UK relocate the Commonwealth soldiers’ graves from Gaza and pay “rent” for the cemeteries’ use since 1917. A warning accompanies these demands:

“Should the British government refuse, the Gaza municipality will issue a legal order to exhume the bodies, store them in a designated location, and hold them hostage until a solution or agreement is reached.” It further cautions, “The British government will find itself in an embarrassing situation with its public, political elites, and military if the graves are desecrated.”

Although the document predates the current war in Gaza, The Telegraph reports that Israeli officials believe the blackmail scheme remains feasible, as Hamas continues to control the area where the graves are located. A senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Telegraph, “This document’s implied tactics aim to terrorize the British public and shape political stances.” He added, “There is no way to dismiss the possibility that Hamas could use this or similar methods to push its future agendas.”

Hamas’s scheme to exhume the remains of British soldiers from these two cemeteries in Gaza takes me back to my military service over 30 years ago. At that time, I headed the Department of Arab Affairs, the primary intelligence body of the Civil Administration, responsible for advancing governance initiatives with the local population—often under the directives of the Minister of Defense. During my tenure in the region, I became closely acquainted with these British cemeteries, established shortly after Field Marshal Edmund Allenby’s forces captured the Gaza Strip in 1917. They were intended to provide a final resting place for soldiers who had fallen in battle against the Ottoman-Turkish army during World War I.

Whenever I visited these cemeteries, local Palestinian residents—employed by the British embassy in Israel to maintain the sites—would often guide me to the graves of Jewish soldiers who had served in the British army. I was always deeply moved to read the names of these Jewish soldiers, easily identified by their Jewish names, the Star of David carved into their tombstones, and the Hebrew acronym ת.נ.צ.ב.ה. (representing the phrase “May their soul be bound in the bundle of life”, marking the traditional Jewish prayer for the departed) inscribed on each one.

During my service with the Israeli administration in Gaza, I rarely visited these cemeteries. Most of my visits occurred before the outbreak of the First Intifada in December 1987, usually when accompanying officials and delegations from Israel or abroad. These visitors were often guests of the security establishment or the military and civil administrations. Whenever they expressed an interest in Gaza’s history—both recent and distant—the British cemeteries, in my view, became an essential stop on our tours.

It is important to emphasize that the information presented here about the British cemeteries in the Gaza Strip is primarily based on firsthand impressions from my numerous visits during my military service in the area. I systematically documented relevant data, insights, and observations. Additionally, I drew on knowledge gained over the years through conversations with Palestinian officials, particularly local historians who referenced these British cemeteries in their publications.

It is also worth noting that the British army maintains other cemeteries across the former British Empire, including one in Be’er Sheva. The British government remains committed to the upkeep of these sites, overseeing their condition and funding ongoing gardening and maintenance efforts. Notably, on-site evidence suggests that these cemeteries have not sustained any damage thus far during the Swords of Iron War.

The British military cemetery in Gaza - aerial view
photo: Soliman Hijjy

Rivlin’s Burial in Gaza, “In His Land”

The largest and most significant cemetery in the area lies about eight kilometers southwest of the Erez Crossing, the main entry point from Israel into the Gaza Strip. Situated along Salah al-Din Road, the primary north-south axis through the Strip, the cemetery spans approximately 40 dunams and contains 3,691 graves, 3,217 of which belong to soldiers who perished in World War I.

Designed in the shape of a large cross, the cemetery’s layout is clearly visible from aerial photographs. A chapel stands at its southern end, traditionally used for prayers and memorial services for British Christian soldiers. At the entrance, a prominent monument displays the emblems of the soldiers’ units, alongside the names of countries and key battle sites from World War I where these units fought.

Among the graves are 781 tombstones marking unknown soldiers, a stark reminder of the difficulty of identifying the fallen amidst the chaos of war. The battlefield in Gaza alone claimed the lives of approximately 10,000 British soldiers, including English, Scottish, Welsh, Australian, New Zealander, and British Jewish troops. The cemetery holds not only bodies recovered from the Gaza battlegrounds but also those transferred from other burial sites in the region.

The cemetery is not limited to World War I casualties. It also contains 210 graves of British soldiers who died during World War II, many of whom succumbed to injuries after receiving treatment in nearby military hospitals.

Each time I visited the cemetery in Gaza City, I was particularly moved by the tombstone of Rifleman Maurice Magnisar, a young Jewish soldier from London. Although he was only 21 years of age when he died, he had married before joining the British army. His death on November 2, 1917—a day etched in Jewish and Israeli history for the issuance of the Balfour Declaration—added profound symbolic significance to his sacrifice.

Another memorable tombstone is that of Mordechai Rivlin from Jerusalem, with the Hebrew inscription: “Beloved and faithful son, born, fought, and fell in his land.” Rivlin fell in 1943, and I assume his family insisted on emphasizing in the epitaph that he died “in his land,” five years before the State of Israel was established.

The cemetery also contains 30 graves of soldiers who passed away post-war and 234 graves of foreign nationals, some of whom are believed to have been Turkish soldiers.

The British military cemetery in Gaza: 'the cemetery is not limited to World War I casualties'
photo: Riyaah

Chaim Chazan Served in His Majesty’s Army

The second British cemetery in the Gaza Strip is located near the town of Deir al-Balah, at the entrance to the village of Al-Zawayda in the central region of the Strip. It lies close to Salah al-Din Road, the primary north-south artery traversing the area. During Israeli control, this route was labeled “Tancher” on IDF maps, and the code name became widely used in official documents, discussions, and briefings. The cemetery was established at its current location after the front line with the Ottoman army stabilized along the banks of Nahal HaBesor, also commonly known as Wadi Gaza.

Unlike the main British cemetery in Gaza City, which primarily holds soldiers killed in battle, the Al-Zawayda cemetery contains soldiers who succumbed to disease and accidents during the prolonged deployment along the front. Poor hygiene and sanitation in the camps led to frequent disease outbreaks, and the deceased were buried near British military encampments in the central region.

Jewish soldiers are also interred here. Notably, nine Jewish graves are dispersed throughout the cemetery rather than grouped together. During one of my visits, I noticed a tombstone with the Hebrew inscription ת.נ.צ.ב.ה. (“May his soul be bound in the bundle of life”), but the letters were mistakenly engraved in reverse order—a likely error.

At the northern edge of the cemetery, I frequently visited a gray tombstone inscribed in Latin letters with the name H. Chazan. The absence of additional identifying details piqued my curiosity, as the distinctly Hebrew name indicated the soldier was Jewish. I sought clarification from the Palestinian custodian responsible for the cemetery on behalf of the British Embassy in Israel, who confirmed that this was the grave of Chaim Chazan. Born in Morocco, Chazan had moved to Jerusalem before World War I and later served in His Majesty’s army.

In May 2004, the British cemetery in Gaza City was vandalized—seemingly in response to the U.S. military campaign in Iraq. According to reports, armed Palestinians smashed 33 headstones, scrawled hate slogans, and painted swastikas on 25 more graves. Several years later, during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza (December 27, 2008 – January 18, 2009), the cemetery sustained damage, with approximately 400 headstones affected and requiring restoration. Following Palestinian claims that the cemetery was hit by IDF shelling, it was repaired after the operation. According to reports in the British press, Israel transferred about 40,000 pounds to British authorities to fund the restoration of the damaged graves.

Hamas has consistently demonstrated contempt for human life, including that of its own civilians, and even greater disregard for the life of others. Its intention to exhume soldiers’ remains from British military cemeteries in Gaza to blackmail the British government reflects a profound lack of respect for the sanctity of the dead. This behavior is not only morally reprehensible but also warrants universal condemnation. It exemplifies Hamas’s malicious nature, standing in stark contrast to fundamental human values and norms.

The entrance to the British military cemetery in Gaza
photo: Riyaah