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Since Friday, when the Israeli army launched new airstrikes, the Gaza Strip has been cut off from the world with telecommunications and internet access severed. As a result, the hashtag #StarlinkForGaza has been trending on Twitter since Saturday morning, with increasing numbers of users appealing to Elon Musk to restore internet connectivity in the region through his satellite network, Starlink.

In France, the hashtag “#StarlinkForGaza” has become the second most popular trend, garnering over 3.6 million mentions. While Elon Musk has not issued an official response, he has engaged with some tweets directed at him. When one user tweeted, “Gaza is under bombardment, internet and telecommunications have been cut off. They need StarLink immediately,” Musk responded, “We don’t know who has authority for the ground links in Gaza, but do we know if any terminals have requested connection in that area?”

The request is straightforward: Starlink could restore internet and mobile networks in Gaza, even if the country’s infrastructure is destroyed. With its fleet of 4,000 satellites, Starlink recently promised that its satellite-based SMS service would function “everywhere you can see the sky,” even in the “most remote regions.”

Just a year ago, Elon Musk had deployed over 25,000 Starlink kits to counter the initial Russian attacks that had neutralized the country’s primary communication tools. The Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, was the driving force behind this latest appeal, having directly addressed the billionaire in a tweet in February 2022.

The widespread support for the #StarlinkForGaza movement highlights the urgent need for internet access in Gaza, particularly in times of conflict when communication is vital for spreading information, seeking assistance, and connecting with the outside world.

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