Gaza Strip: Elon Musk, the US billionaire, revealed on Wednesday that “Starlink is now active in a Gaza hospital with the support of the UAE and Israel.”
Starlink, the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using low Earth orbit, provides high-speed, low-latency internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls, and more. Despite the significant announcement, Musk did not disclose the hospital’s name in his brief statement on X.
Israeli media reported that the Israeli government had approved the use of Starlink services in the UAE-funded hospital in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. The UAE has established a field hospital in Gaza to aid Palestinians injured in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. This hospital has been delivering uninterrupted medical services to Gaza residents, especially those in Rafah, amidst the dire conditions faced by the Palestinian people.
The UAE medical team has been conducting daily surgeries, including metal implant removals and endoscopies on inflamed wounds for patients suffering from war-related fractures, helping to save limbs from amputation.
The telecom network in Palestinian areas has suffered extensive damage due to the conflict, which began in October last year. As a result, Palestinians in the UAE and other countries have struggled to connect with their families and friends.
Earlier this month, the UAE provided three tonnes of medical supplies and various medicines to support the healthcare sector and operational hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
