Elon Musk Announces Starlink Will Provide Connectivity to Aid Organizations in Gaza

Elon Musk announced over the weekend that SpaceX’s Starlink will provide communication assistance to Gaza through partnerships with “internationally recognized aid organizations.” In response, Israel’s communication minister expressed opposition, stating that Israel would oppose this initiative.

Musk said in a post on the social media platform X that it was not clear who has the authority for ground connections in Gaza, but we do know that “no terminal has requested a connection in that area.”

A phone and internet blackout isolated people in the Gaza Strip from the world and each other on Saturday, and calls to loved ones, ambulances or colleagues elsewhere were all but impossible as Israel expanded its air and ground offensive.

According to international humanitarian organizations, the blackout, which began late on Friday, worsened an already desperate situation by hampering life-saving operations and preventing communication with its personnel on the ground.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on how it would ensure aid agencies would use the Starlink connection and not Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules the Gaza Strip.

Responding to Musk’s message at X, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi said Israel is “using all means at its disposal to fight this.”

“HAMAS uses it for terrorist activities,” Karhi wrote. “Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it on the release of kidnapped babies, sons, daughters and the elderly. All of them! Until then, my office will cut all ties to starlink.”

After Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Starlink satellites were said to have been critical in maintaining Internet connectivity in some areas despite attempted Russian interference.

Since then, Musk has said he refused to extend coverage to Russian-occupied Crimea and did not allow his satellites to be used for Ukrainian attacks against Russian forces there.