In response to growing concerns over the recent internet and communications blackout in the Gaza Strip, Tesla CEO and SpaceX owner, Elon Musk, announced on Saturday (OCtober 28) that Starlink, a satellite network operated by SpaceX, will offer internet connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations operating in Gaza.

The move comes as a response to a plea from US leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, commonly known as AOC, who raised questions about the internet blackout imposed by Israel in Gaza. In a post on X (Formerly Twitter), she asked how anyone can defend "such an act" after Israel snapped the internet and communications in the Gaza Strip last night.

Cutting off all communication to a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable. Journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian efforts, and innocents are all endangered.

I do not know how such an act can be defended. The United States has historically denounced this practice. https://t.co/L9iV7TSs2u— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 27, 2023

AOC voiced her concerns, stating, "Cutting off all communication to a population of 2.2 million is unacceptable. Journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian efforts, and innocents are all endangered. I do not know how such an act can be defended. The United States has historically denounced this practice."

This message sparked a response from Elon Musk.

"Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza," Musk responded on the same platform.

Starlink will support connectivity to internationally recognized aid organizations in Gaza.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 28, 2023

Starlink, a satellite internet network developed by SpaceX, was designed to provide low-cost internet access to people in remote and underserved areas. Each Starlink satellite has an estimated lifespan of approximately five years, and SpaceX has ambitious plans to deploy as many as 42,000 satellites as part of this megaconstellation project.

The blackout of phone networks and internet access in Gaza occurred on Friday as Israel intensified its military operations in the region, leading to widespread communication disruption. Hamas accused Israel of taking actions "to perpetrate massacres with bloody retaliatory strikes from the air, land, and sea."

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society expressed deep concerns about the blackout, highlighting its impact on emergency response efforts. The organisation reported that the disruption affected the central emergency number (101) and hindered the arrival of ambulance vehicles to attend to the wounded amid ongoing strikes.

They also mentioned losing contact with their operations room in the Gaza Strip, raising concerns about the safety of their staff.

"We have completely lost contact with the operations room in the Gaza Strip and all our teams operating there," it stated on X.