Businessman and investor Elon Musk announced on Tuesday that his Starlink communications system is now active in a Gaza hospital.
“Starlink is now active in a Gaza hospital with the support of the UAE and Israel,” Musk wrote in a post on his social media site X.
Starlink provides satellite internet coverage to 80 countries and also aims to provide global mobile broadband.
In October, three weeks after Hamas’ attack on Israel and the war in Gaza which followed, Musk promised to connect international humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza to Starlink's satellite internet, following the collapse of all ISPs in Gaza due to Israeli attacks on Hamas infrastructure.
Officials in Israel, including the head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), spoke with Musk after his announcement, and expressed serious concern that Musk’s decision would serve Hamas and its activities in the war.
Musk later decided to call Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and made clear that he supports Israel and claimed that the connection would be "only for humanitarian purposes".
In February, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and representatives of Starlink reached agreements regarding the Starlink service in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli security authorities approved the provision of Starlink services at the UAE's field hospital operating in Rafah.