Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu soldiers from Germany, Australia, France, Turkey, Britain and India are gathered in peace in the shade of jacaranda and poinciana trees, stretching out over 40 square kilometers [15.4 square miles] of green grass. They are surrounded by a serenity that is hard to retain in a crowded city like Gaza, except in the Gaza War Cemetery, which is located along the Salah al-Din Highway, east of Gaza City.
These soldiers came to fight alongside the Allied forces against the Ottoman Empire during World War I in 1914-1918. They fought in three major battles, the largest being the battle of Wadi Gaza, as well as the Mantar battle. The battlefield was their final resting place. They were buried in the cemetery established by the coalition forces, known as the "Commonwealth.” The Gaza War Cemetery includes nearly 4,000 tombs, in addition to a smaller English cemetery comprising 750 graves. It is located in the center of the Gaza Strip in the region of al-Zawayida. According to the cemetery’s archives, battles were fierce due to the resilience of the Gaza-Beersheba defense line at the time.
