Elon Musk's Starlink Brings Vital Internet to Gaza Hospital

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has been activated at a hospital in Gaza Strip with assistance from the United Arab Emirates and Israel. This move aims to aid medical consultations in an area plagued by conflict and poor connectivity.

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has been activated in a hospital in the Gaza Strip with the help of the United Arab Emirates and Israel, the SpaceX chief executive said. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's foreign minister, thanked Musk for supporting the UAE field hospital in Gaza, where many medical facilities have been destroyed in over nine months of war.

"Starlink is now active in a Gaza hospital with the support of @UAEmediaoffice and @Israel," Musk posted on X. The high-speed internet will allow potentially life-saving medical consultations via real-time video calling, the UAE foreign ministry said in February.

Internet connectivity in Gaza is poor due to a lack of power and fuel, making it harder for medical staff and rescue teams to function. The UAE, an oil producer and regional finance and tourism hub, normalized ties with Israel in 2020. Sudan later also reached a similar agreement with Israel.

The Gaza war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages. Israel's offensive has since resulted in over 39,000 Palestinian deaths, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, and has devastated much of the coastal territory.

(With inputs from agencies.)