Elon Musk said Saturday that Starlink would offer connectivity to “internationally recognized” aid groups in Gaza amid a communications blackout resulting from Israel's bombardment.
In a series of separate posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, the multi-billionaire insisted that his satellite internet service could provide connectivity to the war-ravaged territory, but that a connection request had not yet been made.
“SpaceX will support communication links with internationally recognized aid organizations,” as well as the UN, Musk pledged several times Saturday morning.
Musk owns X, SpaceX and Starlink.
A total internet blackout in Gaza cut off most of the strip’s 2.3 million citizens from communicating with the rest of the world Friday as Israel expanded its ground invasion of northern Gaza.
Humanitarian aid groups denounced the blackout, warning that it could provide cover for human rights atrocities in Gaza.
On Friday evening, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decried the blackout, saying the U.S. had “historically denounced this practice.”
“Cutting off all communication to a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “Journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian efforts, and innocents are all endangered. I do not know how such an act can be defended. The United States has historically denounced this practice.”
Early Saturday morning, Musk replied to the post, saying: “Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza.”
Despite Musk’s repeated claims, the connection’s feasibility remains in flux.
“It is not clear who has authority for ground links in Gaza, but do we know that no terminal has requested a connection in that area,” Musk replied to one X user.
Musk’s Starlink has been used in other regions in which internet infrastructure has been destroyed or disabled, including both Iran and Ukraine. However, Musk has been embroiled in controversy over the service in Ukraine.
Musk has further faced criticism over his promoting of unverified accounts on X known for spreading misinformation relating to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
