<\/p>\n
A telephone and internet blackout isolated people in the Gaza Strip from the world and from each other over the weekend.<\/p>\n
Gaza witnessed a total communications blackout over the weekend<\/a> as Israel stepped up its operations in the besieged territory in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas<\/a>.<\/p>\n A telephone and internet blackout isolated people in the Gaza Strip from the world and from each other, with calls to loved ones, ambulances or colleagues elsewhere all but impossible as Israel widened its air and ground assault.<\/p>\n International humanitarian organisations said the blackout, which began late on Friday, worsened an already desperate situation by impeding life-saving operations and preventing contact with their staff on the ground.<\/p>\n Following the blackout, #StarlinkforGaza<\/a> became a top trend on social media platform X, with people calling for the Elon Musk-owned company to provide internet services for the besieged enclave.<\/p>\n On Saturday, Musk said that Starlink would support communication links in Gaza with \u201cinternationally recognised aid organisations\u201d, prompting Israel\u2019s communication minister to say Israel would fight the move.<\/p>\n Musk said that it was not clear who had authority for ground links in Gaza, but we do know that \u201cno terminal has requested a connection in that area\u201d.<\/p>\n Responding to Musk\u2019s post on X, Israel\u2019s communication minister Shlomo Karhi said Israel \u201cwill use all means at its disposal to fight this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHamas will use it for terrorist activities,\u201d Karhi wrote. \u201cPerhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of our abducted babies, sons, daughters, elderly people. All of them! By then, my office will cut any ties with Starlink.\u201d<\/p>\n While communications have been restored since then, analysts are uncertain if Starlink \u2014 the website<\/a> of which says \u201cavailable almost anywhere on Earth\u201d \u2014 can work in Gaza.<\/p>\n