Elon Musk to visit Israel to assess damage from Hamas attacks
In a confirmation to Business Insider, the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog has verified that Elon Musk plans to travel to Israel on Monday. Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, is set to tour the Gaza envelope, an area located about 4 miles from the Gaza Strip border. During his visit, Musk will also meet with Herzog and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The visit comes in the aftermath of Hamas’ attacks on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 240 hostages. Israel responded with a strong military response, leading to the deaths of over 14,000 individuals in Gaza, with the majority being women and children.
This is not the first instance of Musk involving himself in international conflicts, as he had previously stated that he would offer Starlink internet access for Palestinians in Gaza. This move had raised concerns among Israeli officials, particularly after all communications were cut off following Israel’s invasion of the Strip.
Musk’s involvement in international conflicts is not unprecedented, as he has previously blocked access to Starlink in Crimea to prevent Ukraine from targeting the occupying Russian forces with drones. According to journalist Walter Isaacson, Musk expressed discomfort with the militarization of Starlink and emphasized that the project was intended to support peaceful activities, such as watching Netflix and accessing educational resources.