
Workers of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) hand out flour rations and other supplies to people at an UNRWA warehouse in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 12, 2023. (Credit: Mohammad Abed/AFP)
BEIRUT — "Israel and the United Nations are in negotiations over the deployment of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink communications system in Gaza, aiming to enhance security for UN aid workers," U.S. news website Axios reported, citing Israeli and UN officials on Wednesday.
Starlink's network of low Earth orbit satellites can provide internet to remote locations, or areas that have had normal communications infrastructure disabled.
The discussions stem from the UN's requirement for the Starlink system to fully resume aid distribution across Gaza. Israeli officials "expressed concerns that the technology could be compromised by Hamas, potentially complicating Israeli intelligence operations and increasing the risk of coordinated attacks," Axios reported.
On Feb. 15, the Israeli government approved the use of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet services in both Israel and parts of the Gaza Strip.
"In June, the U.N. scaled back operations in Gaza following security threats to aid workers from Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian groups," Axios noted, highlighting the impact on humanitarian aid delivery.
According to Israeli sources, cited by Axios, the Israeli government viewed the U.N.'s decision as a political maneuver to pressure Israel amid ongoing conflict dynamics, although "U.N. officials privately denied this characterization."
"The Biden administration has been involved in mediating discussions between the U.N. and Israeli authorities, emphasizing the reality of U.N. security concerns," Axios reported, quoting State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
During Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's recent visit to Washington, discussions included commitments to safeguard U.N. personnel in Gaza, Axios noted, with Israeli and U.N. officials confirming engagements at various levels to address security challenges.
"The U.N. proposed deploying the Starlink system in Gaza to improve communications for its staff," Axios stated, highlighting Israel's reservations due to past instances of Hamas seizing advanced communication equipment.
"Israel has requested guarantees from the U.N. regarding the system's location and the ability to remotely disable it if stolen," Axios reported. The U.S. has encouraged Israel to accommodate U.N. requests while ensuring Israeli security concerns are addressed.
"The U.N. plans to send a team to Israel for a presentation to demonstrate the system's security measures," Axios quoted a senior U.N. official, emphasizing "ongoing engagement to resolve security-related issues."