Israel vowed to fight Elon Musk’s pledge to provide aid organizations in Gaza with Starlink satellite service as the besieged strip struggles with internet connectivity.
Israeli Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Hamas “will use it for terrorist activities.”
“Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people. All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with starlink,” Karhi posted.
Musk made the announcement on X, which he owns, after US Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that “cutting off all communication to a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable.”
“Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza,” Musk said in a post replying to Ocasio-Cortez.
In another post replying to another X account, Musk said, “No terminals from Gaza have attempted to communicate with our constellation.”
Communications in the Gaza Strip have been severely disrupted as Israel intensifies its air and ground assault on the region. Aid groups say they have been unable to communicate with teams in the area.
Earlier, the World Health Organization said they are “out of touch” with its staff in Gaza and the commissioner general of the UN Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees wrote to staff on Saturday saying that the organization is “deeply worried” about them amid the blackout.