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

Eyal did not reply to 2 follow-up messages that contained quotes from nan webinar and offered Eyal nan opportunity to correct aliases explain thing that was said.

On October 20, 2023, nan IDF launched an offensive successful Gaza that specifically targeted nan territory’s net and telecommunications infrastructure. This resulted successful a “complete disruption” of net and cellular connection for nan past 2.3 cardinal group surviving there.

A fewer days later, Elon Musk began what would reportedly go tense negotiations pinch nan Israeli Communications Ministry to supply Starlink entree successful nan area. On October 28, Musk said connected X that Starlink would “support connectivity to internationally recognized assistance organizations successful Gaza” successful a reply to US typical Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drafting attraction to nan communications blackout.

Israeli communications curate Shlomo Karhi, successful a quote-post of Musk, said that Israel would “use each intends astatine its disposal to conflict this,” claiming that Hamas would find a measurement to entree and usage Starlink for “terrorist activities.”

“Perhaps Musk would beryllium consenting to information it pinch nan merchandise of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, aged people,” Karhi wrote. “All of them! By then, my agency will trim immoderate ties pinch starlink.”

Musk replied a fewer hours later, saying, “We are not truthful naive.”

“Per my post, nary Starlink terminal has attempted to link from Gaza,” Musk added. “If 1 does, we will return bonzer measures to corroborate that it is utilized *only* for purely humanitarian reasons. Moreover, we will do a information cheque pinch some nan US and Israeli governments earlier turning connected moreover a azygous terminal.”

The Israeli Communications Ministry did not o.k. immoderate use of Starlink successful Israel aliases Gaza until February 14, 2024. At that point, Kahri said successful a station connected X, Starlink could beryllium utilized some successful Israel and astatine a United Arab Emirates–run section infirmary successful Rafah.

“The usage of nan company's services will beryllium constricted astatine first pinch broader usage expected successful nan future,” Kahri said successful nan post.

Eyal mentioned connected nan webinar that it is presently "a matter of weeks” earlier Starlink is “launched for Israel arsenic a whole” and disposable to immoderate personification aliases business. It is unclear if this entree will see nan occupied West Bank and Gaza.

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

According to Agence France-Presse, 1,189 Israelis died arsenic a consequence of Hamas’ October 7 onslaught connected Israel. Hamas besides took 251 Israelis to Gaza arsenic hostages, of which 58 remain, and 23 are believed to beryllium alive.

Between 53,000 and 62,000 Palestinians person died arsenic a consequence of Israel’s subject violative into Gaza that followed October 7, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and Government Media Office. The nonstop decease toll is unclear, because location is an chartless number of bodies buried nether nan rubble of destroyed buildings. Israel has blocked immoderate nutrient aliases aesculapian assistance entering Gaza since nan opening of March, which assistance workers opportunity person resulted successful increasingly catastrophic and dire surviving conditions.