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Israel has announced its intention to end its collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink project following Elon Musk’s statement that Starlink would provide satellite communication for humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip. Shlomo Kari, Israel’s Minister of Communications, stated that the ministry would sever all ties with Starlink.

Kari expressed concerns that Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, would use Starlink for terrorist activities. He emphasized that there was no doubt about Hamas’ affiliation with ISIS and suggested that Musk may have wanted to link the provision of communication to the release of kidnapped individuals, including infants, children, and elderly people. Kari reaffirmed his office’s decision to cut all connections with Starlink.

In early October, Hamas launched attacks on Israel, targeting peaceful towns and settlements near the Gaza Strip. Over a thousand civilians were killed, with a total death toll exceeding 1,400 and over 200 people taken hostage. Hamas militants have been carrying out rocket attacks on Israel for nearly three weeks.

In response, Israel has conducted airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The proximity of these targets to civilian facilities has made it impossible to avoid casualties among the civilian population. According to Hamas-controlled authorities, thousands of people in the Gaza Strip have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, but there is no independent confirmation of these figures.

SpaceX continues to provide Ukrainian military with Starlink communication. However, criticism towards Musk has arisen from Kyiv due to his initiatives to end the conflict, which include territorial concessions from Ukraine. Additionally, his policies on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), which he acquired, have been accused of promoting Russian disinformation.

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