Israel is in talks with SpaceX to roll out Starlink internet services, especially for communities near the conflict zone, an Israeli official said Tuesday.
Starlink is currently not available in Israel, so this would be the first time the service is introduced in any capacity. As it seeks to bolster its own wartime communications, it is also considering stopping cellular and Internet communications in Gaza, the same official said.
“The coordination activity of the Israeli company Starlink is being carried out, allowing the operation of communication terminals of the Space-X company, which will allow a broad broadband Internet connection in Israel,” said the Minister of Communications of Israel, Shlomo Karhi. said in X. “In addition, under the direction of the minister, the ministry promotes the purchase of these satellite devices for the benefit of regional councils and community leaders in settlements in conflict zones.”
Karhi’s statement comes just over a week after Hamas, the Palestinian group that controls the Gaza Strip, led a brutal attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians. That attack was followed by days of retaliatory airstrikes in Gaza, which in turn have killed more than 2,800 Palestinians, also mostly civilians.
There are no signs that the war will end anytime soon. The revelation that satellite internet provides a critical advantage during conflict became evident shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, when Ukrainian forces relied on Starlink to maintain communications.
But Starlink’s role in the conflict is far from resolved. Earlier this year, it was revealed that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk refused to activate the service when Ukraine requested it ahead of a planned attack on the Russian navy. Later he said that he never authorized its use and that “if he had accepted his request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and escalation of the conflict.”
It’s unclear when that service might be available or how many users it might initially have. TechCrunch has reached out to the Israeli government and will update the story if a representative responds. It is also unclear whether these terminals would be purchased directly from SpaceX, through its defense-focused Starshield business unit.
