A Silicon Valley VC Says He Got the IDF Starlink Access Within Days of October 7 Attack | EUROtoday

Eyal didn’t reply to 2 follow-up messages that contained quotes from the webinar and supplied Eyal the chance to appropriate or make clear something that was stated.

On October 20, 2023, the IDF launched an offensive in Gaza that particularly focused the territory’s web and telecommunications infrastructure. This resulted in a “complete disruption” of web and mobile communication for the then 2.3 million individuals residing there.

A number of days later, Elon Musk started what would reportedly turn into tense negotiations with the Israeli Communications Ministry to offer Starlink entry within the space. On October 28, Musk stated on X that Starlink would “support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza” in a reply to US consultant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drawing consideration to the communications blackout.

Israeli communications minister Shlomo Karhi, in a quote-post of Musk, stated that Israel would “use all means at its disposal to fight this,” claiming that Hamas would discover a approach to entry and use Starlink for “terrorist activities.”

“Perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people,” Karhi wrote. “All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with starlink.”

Musk replied just a few hours later, saying, “We are not so naive.”

“Per my post, no Starlink terminal has attempted to connect from Gaza,” Musk added. “If one does, we will take extraordinary measures to confirm that it is used *only* for purely humanitarian reasons. Moreover, we will do a security check with both the US and Israeli governments before turning on even a single terminal.”

The Israeli Communications Ministry didn’t approve any use of Starlink in Israel or Gaza till February 14, 2024. At that time, Kahri stated in a submit on X, Starlink might be used each in Israel and at a United Arab Emirates–run subject hospital in Rafah.

“The use of the company’s services will be limited at first with broader use expected in the future,” Kahri stated within the submit.

Eyal talked about on the webinar that it’s at present “a matter of weeks” before Starlink is “launched for Israel as a whole” and available to any person or business. It is unclear if this access will include the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

SpaceX, the IDF, and the Israeli Communications Ministry did not respond for comment.

According to Agence France-Presse, 1,189 Israelis died as a result of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel. Hamas also took 251 Israelis to Gaza as hostages, of which 58 remain, and 23 are believed to be alive.

Between 53,000 and 62,000 Palestinians have died because of Israel’s army offensive into Gaza that adopted October 7, in line with Gaza’s Ministry of Health and Government Media Office. The actual dying toll is unclear, as a result of there’s an unknown variety of our bodies buried beneath the rubble of destroyed buildings. Israel has blocked any meals or medical support getting into Gaza for the reason that starting of March, which support employees say have resulted in more and more catastrophic and dire residing circumstances.