Shillong, October 29: Elon Musk, on Sunday, underlined that no Starlink terminal has attempted to connect from Gaza, and he will conduct a thorough security check before activating even a single Starlink terminal in the Gaza Strip.
As per IANS, this decision came after Israel warned the owner of SpaceX against providing communication support to Gaza.
Musk, acknowledging the situation, stated that the company is not naive, and as of now, no Starlink terminal from Gaza has attempted to connect. He further mentioned that if such an attempt occurs, extraordinary measures will be taken to ensure it’s used solely for humanitarian purposes.
Moreover, Musk emphasized that they would perform security checks in coordination with both the US and Israeli governments before activating any terminal.
The background for this development was Israel’s response to Musk’s offer of providing communication links to Gaza. Israel expressed its intent to use all available means to counter this move, citing concerns that HAMAS might use the technology for terrorist activities. Israel’s Communication Minister, Shlomo Karhi, even suggested conditioning it with the release of abducted individuals.
Elon Musk had initially announced that Starlink would support internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza, aiming to provide connectivity in a region where Internet and communications were cut off, affecting millions of people and exacerbating the already dire situation.
It’s important to note that the Gaza Strip has been a region heavily affected by the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and this move by Elon Musk has sparked significant debate and diplomatic considerations.