US billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk said on Sunday that no Starlink terminal had attempted to connect from the Gaza Strip as of now, adding that, if one does, his company SpaceX would take extraordinary measures to confirm that it is used only for humanitarian purposes.
Musk said on Saturday that SpaceX, which operates Starlink, would support communications with internationally recognized aid groups in Gaza amid a telephone and internet blackout in the exclave. Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, in turn, threatened to cut all ties with Starlink and fight the move, citing concerns that Hamas would "use it for terrorist activities."
"We are not so naive. Per my post, no Starlink terminal has attempted to connect from Gaza. If one does, we will take extraordinary measures to confirm that it is used *only* for purely humanitarian reasons," Musk said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Musk added that SpaceX would first carry out a security check with both the US and Israeli governments "before turning on even a single terminal."
On Saturday, Palestinian National Authority Communications Minister Ishaq Sadr said that the body was negotiating with Starlink the use of its services to restore communications in the Gaza Strip. The minister added that Palestine was in talks with Egypt to facilitate the entry of Starlink equipment into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing.
A communications blackout has been reported in the Palestinian exclave since Friday night when the Israel Defense Forces announced the expansion of ground operations in Gaza. The breakdown in communications disrupted emergency services and cut off contact with the UN staff delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.