Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan has extended an invitation to Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and owner of the social media platform X, to witness firsthand the aftermath of the violence and devastation inflicted upon the Gaza Strip by Israel.
The invitation follows Musk's recent visit to a kibbutz targeted by Hamas gunmen during an October 7 attack, where he expressed commitment to combating the spread of hatred.
Hamdan, in a press conference in Beirut, urged Musk to visit Gaza and gain a more comprehensive perspective on the situation. He emphasized the need for objectivity and credibility, asserting that Israel had dropped over 40,000 tonnes of explosives on the homes of defenceless Gazans within 50 days.
Musk, who faced criticism over alleged anti-Semitism and white nationalist rhetoric on his social media platform, shocked many during his visit to Israel. Witnessing the decimated kibbutz of Kfar Aza, Musk argued that Israel had "no choice" but to eliminate Hamas.
Musk also reached an agreement during his visit, stating that Starlink satellite units would only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including the Gaza Strip. This came after Musk had previously considered providing Starlink to enhance communications in Gaza amid telecommunications blackouts.
As tensions escalated, Hamdan called on the U.S. to reevaluate its relationship with Israel and cease supplying them with weapons. He also appealed to the international community to swiftly send specialized civil defence teams to assist in retrieving bodies from beneath the rubble in Gaza.