Elon Musk's Starlink Aims To Boost Gaza's Connectivity Amid Israeli Concerns

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX SPCE, has announced plans for the company's Starlink satellite system to bolster communication links in Gaza.

What Happened: The initiative has been met with resistance from Israeli authorities, raising concerns about potential implications on the ground.

On Saturday, Musk shared his intentions on the social media platform X, noting uncertainty regarding who holds the authority for ground links in Gaza. He added that "SpaceX will support communication links with internationally recognized aid organizations."

No terminals from Gaza have attempted to communicate with our constellation.

SpaceX will support communication links with internationally recognized aid organizations.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2023

The revelation comes amidst a communication blackout in the Gaza Strip, which has left thousands of Palestinians cut off from the rest of the world and each other.

As Israel intensifies its military operations, international humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm over the blackout's impact on an already dire situation, reported Reuters. 

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They emphasized the challenges the blackout poses to life-saving missions and maintaining contact with their teams on the ground.

Responding to Musk's announcement, Shlomo Karhi, Israel's communication minister, voiced his apprehensions, stating, "HAMAS will use it for terrorist activities."

He further challenged Musk, suggesting a conditional provision of Starlink services based on the release of Israeli detainees. Karhi concluded with a stern warning, indicating a potential severance of ties with Starlink. 

In a related context, Starlink satellites played a pivotal role in maintaining internet connectivity in certain areas during Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, despite Russian interference attempts.

Musk later clarified his position, expressing his refusal to extend Starlink's coverage over Russian-occupied Crimea, thereby preventing its potential use in Ukrainian operations against Russian forces.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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