[1/2]Palestinians charge their mobile phones on a solar panel provided by Adel Shaheen, an owner of an electronics store, as electricity continues to be out during the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, October 19, 2023. Portal/Mohammed…Acquire license rights Read more
JERUSALEM, Oct 28 (Portal) – Elon Musk said on Saturday that SpaceX’s Starlink would support communications links in Gaza with “internationally recognized aid organizations,” prompting Israel’s communications minister to say Israel would oppose the move.
Musk said in a post on the social media platform
A phone and internet blackout isolated Gazans from the world and each other on Saturday, with calls to family, ambulance or colleagues elsewhere nearly impossible as Israel expanded its air and ground strikes.
International humanitarian organizations said the blackout, which began late Friday, worsened an already desperate situation by hampering life-saving operations and preventing contact with their staff on the ground.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to Portal’ request for comment on how it would ensure any Starlink connection is used by aid groups and not the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.
In response to Musk’s post on
“HAMAS will use it for terrorist activities,” Karhi wrote. “Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition this on the release of our kidnapped babies, sons, daughters and elderly people. They all! Until then, my office will cut all ties with Starlink.”
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Starlink satellites were reported to have been crucial to maintaining internet connectivity in some areas, despite attempted Russian jammers.
Musk has since said he has refused to expand coverage of Russian-occupied Crimea and refused to use his satellites for Ukrainian attacks on Russian forces there.
Reporting by Emily Rose in Jerusalem and Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru; Edited by Diane Craft, David Gregorio and Daniel Wallis
Our standards: The Thomson Portal Trust Principles.
Acquire license rights, opens new tab