This week Google Earth updated its images of Gaza.

Raised to the ground – but under all that rubble bodies are being uncovered – now emerging to show the world the genocide that has been perpetrated on Gaza by Israel.

Over 20 bombs levelled the seven-storey Al Taj 3 building and destroyed several other residential buildings in the Yarmouk Square neighbourhood of Gaza City on the afternoon of October 25, 2023. On Thursday 1 October 2026, the mass funeral took place of 105 Palestinians, men, women and children, uncovered from the rubble.

In August a mass funeral of 112 people took place. This was the result of a missile strike on a residential building.

Forty-four children, 38 women and seven people with disabilities were listed among the dead from the Abu Sharia and Hassayna families, who are one clan.

They were killed when a residential block in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City was attacked by Israel on 22 November 2023. – BBC

At the start of September, another mass funeral – this of 100 people, 60 of whom were children. Many of the victims were part of the extended Malaka family, which alone lost 55 members.

“the remains, though wrapped in shrouds resembling intact bodies, were often only fragments” – Aljazeera.

Today, Saturday 3 October, islanders in Orkney will stand in Vigil on the Kirk Green, Broad Street, Kirkwall between 1 and 2pm to remember all those who have lost their lives since October 7 2023. Their call is for Peace and Justice – and to have a permanent ceasefire with the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

The West Bank (including East Jerusalem)

The United Nations has updated its Database of all business enterprises involved in the activities uncovered by an “independent international fact-finding mission to investigate the implications of the Israeli settlements on the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.”

A total of 214 companies from 11 countries are listed. Most are businesses giving their location as Israel, however other countries listed are : South Africa, China, United States, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, France, UK, Germany, and Mexico.

The companies from the UK which are listed are: Greenkote P.L.C. , and J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd. These are both listed as having a ‘Direct Linkage’ which means,

A business enterprise can be directly linked to an adverse human rights impact by its business relationships related to its operations, products or services. “Direct linkage” refers to the connection between the business enterprise’s operations, products or services and such impact through its business relationships. The concept of “business relationships” is not limited to “first tier” relationships (or any prescribed number of tiers) in a value chain or to there being a contractual relationship with another actor.

The UK, as a member of the United Nations “should act with diligence to ensure that business enterprises operating in conflict-affected areas are not involved in or otherwise materially contributing to serious human rights violations or abuses.”

In the illegally occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem)  1,136 Palestinians – at least 250 of them children –have been killed. Eighty-nine of them since the beginning of 2026. The violence being perpetrated upon people in their homes, villages, and farms by Israeli settlers has markedly increased.

The UK Government has announced plans in an effort to put pressure on the Israeli government for its actions in Gaza and the West Bank which include:

• Banning the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements into the UK;
• Taking action on services, creating new designation powers to go after individuals and companies that support, facilitate or profit from illegal settlement activity;
• Banning advertising or promotion of land and property in illegal settlements; 
• Strengthening the UK’s existing global human rights sanctions regime to target those who commit serious violations of international humanitarian law, in Palestine, and around the world
• Using the UK’s existing global human rights regime to sanction several extremist settlers who have supported or incited acts of violence against Palestinian communities.

Let’s hope the UK Government remembers its commitment to the United Nations and takes action against the two companies listed on the updated data base Greenkote P.L.C. , and J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd.

The Orkney News has been documenting the Peace vigils and other activities which have been taking place in the islands to raise awareness of what is happening in Palestine and The West Bank. There is a series of videos on our YouTube channel. This is the latest:

Fiona Grahame