Israel, Musk reach ‘significant agreement’ on use of Starlink in Gaza

On October 28, Musk announced that Starlink can be used by internationally-recognised aid groups in Gaza.

Published on: Nov 27, 2023, 15:29:09 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Elon Musk's announcement that Starlink, a satellite internet constellation operated by his aerospace company SpaceX, can be used by internationally-recognised aid groups in Gaza, has now been reversed. This is due to the billionaire and the Israeli government arriving at a ‘principle understanding’ under which Starlink can now operate in Israel – including the Gaza Strip – only with the approval of Israel's Ministry of Communications.

Starlink has built a fast-growing network of more than 3,500 satellites in low-Earth orbit. (Representative image)

Shlomo Karhi, the country's Minister of Communications, on Monday took to the Musk-owned social network X (formerly Twitter) to announce what he said was a ‘significant agreement.’

“As the State of Israel fights against Hamas-ISIS, this understanding is vital, as it is for everyone who desires a better world, free of evil and free of anti-Semitism, four our children's sake,” Karhi wrote on X.

The minister added: “During your (Musk's) time in Israel, I hope that you will be able to gain valuable insight, and that it will serve as a springboard for future endeavors, as well as enhance your relationship with the Jewish people and values we share with the entire world.”

The world's richest person is currently in Israel, meeting with the country's leadership at a time when a war is going on Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza. On October 7, Hamas carried out attacks inside Israel, prompting retaliatory strikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF); the war has been on since then.

Why Israel objects to Starlink being used in Gaza?

Musk's announcement on providing Starlink support to Gaza came after the IDF, in preparation to launch a major incursion into the Gaza Strip, launched an operation targeting internet and media infrastructure in the region. The primary objective of the IDF's much-criticised move, according to the military, was to disrupt communication among the Hamas operatives.

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