Musk says Starlink will support connectivity for humanitarian organizations in Gaza

Musk owns X, SpaceX and Starlink.

The Israeli military imposed a complete internet blackout in Gaza on Friday, preventing most of the strip’s 2.3 million citizens from communicating with the rest of the world as Israel expanded its ground invasion of northern Gaza.

Aid groups denounced the blackout, warning it could serve as a cover for human rights atrocities in Gaza.

Friday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decried the blackout, saying the United States had “historically denounced this practice.”

“Cutting off all communication with a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “Journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian efforts and innocent people are all at risk. I don’t know how such an act can be defended. The United States has historically denounced this practice.

Early Saturday morning, Musk responded to the post, saying: “Starlink will support connectivity with internationally recognized humanitarian organizations in Gaza. »

Despite Musk’s repeated claims, the feasibility of the connection remains uncertain.

“It is not clear who has the authority for land connections in Gaza, but do we know that no terminal has requested a connection in this area” Musk replied to a user

Musk’s Starlink has been used in other regions where internet infrastructure has been destroyed or disabled, including Iran and Ukraine. However, Musk has been embroiled in controversy over the service in Ukraine.

Musk was further criticized for his promotion of unverified accounts on X, known for spreading misinformation about the Israel-Hamas conflict.