‘Fix them now’: Winston Peters demands Israel to repair Cook Islands war graves in Gaza

Foreign Affairs Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters says New Zealand is demanding that the final resting places of Pacific servicemen be restored.

The graves are located in the Gaza War Cemetery where soldiers of the Rarotongan Company have lain for over a century.

Satellite imagery and international investigations suggest that sections of the cemetery were not just caught in crossfire, but were systematically levelled by Israeli Defence Force (IDF) armoured bulldozers to create military positions.

Speaking on Pacific Mornings with William Terite, Peters said New Zealand had raised the matter with Israeli authorities after reports revealed the graves linked to the Rarotongan Company were desecrated during the recent conflict in Gaza.

“New Zealand’s been on the case since we first heard it,” Peters says.

“We made our objection known and our concern known to the Israelis straight away, and we said we expect it to be fixed up. But we do understand that there is a logistical, practical problem here. When can we safely fix it up?”

Watch Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters' full interview below.

Among the 3600-plus burials at the site are 23 New Zealanders and two specific Cook Islands soldiers who died in the final weeks of World War One:Private Kamati and Private R Tutavake.

The reports that these graves were ploughed over to create earth berms have sparked outrage across the Pacific.

While Peters acknowledges the “logistical, practical problem” of repairing the site in a war zone, he says the expectation for a fix remains firm.

The Gaza Strip borders Egypt along the Mediterranean coastline. Photo: Supplied/ ABC

The IDF has defended its actions, saying the cemetery had become an “active combat zone” where Hamas fighters were operating in tunnels.

They argue that “defensive measures” were required even it meant disturbing the historial burial ground.

But analysis of the damage shows the most systematic destruction occurred in the southern corner, the exact area where the ANZAC graves are located.

This is not the first time the cemetery has been caught in the crossfire. The site was previously damaged during conflicts in 2006, 2009, and 2014, with compensation paid for repairs following those incidents.

This latest destruction follows the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, part of a wider war that has devastated infrastructure and historic sites across Gaza.

Watch Carmel Sepuloni's full interview below.

Labour Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni says the reports are “awful news” and “hurtful to the families of those soldiers”.

“I do believe that the Cook Islands may want to give voice to this particular issue as well and should voice their concerns strongly alongside Aotearoa here,” Sepuloni told Terite.

Sepuloni also criticised the New Zealand government’s stance, saying many Kiwis believe the response to Israel’s actions in Gaza has been weak and lacks the independent voice the country is known for.

For the families of Private Kamati and Private Tutavake, the wait for their ancestors' resting place to be respected continues as the conflict shows no sign of slowing down.