Elon Musk announced on Saturday that SpaceX’s Starlink will provide communication support in Gaza for “internationally recognized aid organizations.”
Musk mentioned on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that it’s unclear who has authority over ground links in Gaza, but no terminal has requested a connection in that area so far.
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
A telephone and internet blackout has cut off the people in Gaza from the rest of the world and from each other, complicating vital operations and hampering communication for international humanitarian groups. It’s worth noting that it’s not clear how SpaceX will ensure that the Starlink connection is used exclusively by aid organizations and not by other entities.
In a previous context, Starlink satellites were instrumental in maintaining internet connectivity in regions affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite Russian attempts to disrupt it. Elon Musk had previously declined to extend coverage over Russian-occupied Crimea, preventing the use of his satellites for Ukrainian attacks against Russian forces in that area.
