Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Monday for a tour of Kibbutz Kfar Gaza, a community near the border with Gaza that was the site of a devastating massacre on October 7. Musk, dressed in a bulletproof vest, joined Netanyahu and military officials as they walked through the community, still reeling from the loss of 1,200 lives in a single day. The attack also resulted in the capture of over 240 hostages by Hamas-led forces. During his visit, Musk met with victims’ families, heard from community leaders, and witnessed the destruction caused by the attack.
The tour began with a visit to the home of the Liebstein family, where Musk learned about the heroic actions of Ofir Liebstein, the head of the council who was killed while attempting to defend the kibbutz from the terrorists. Later, Musk and Netanyahu visited the Itamari family, where they heard the heartbreaking story of a 4-year-old girl, Avigail Idan, whose parents were murdered before she was taken hostage. Photos provided by the Israeli Defense Forces showcased the community before the massacre took place.
In addition to the tour, Musk and Netanyahu engaged in a live chat on Musk’s social media platform, X, where they discussed various topics including artificial intelligence. Musk is scheduled to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and other representatives of hostage families, as well as executives from the country’s technology sector. There have been previous suggestions that Musk could provide Israel or humanitarian groups with access to Starlink, a satellite-based internet service, to support communications in the region.
Musk’s visit comes amidst allegations of supporting antisemitic content on X. He has recently addressed these accusations, stating that he did not intend to generalize the Jewish community and that messages promoting genocide on the platform will result in account suspensions.
Meanwhile, the war between Hamas and Israel continues, with both sides vowing to fight until their objectives are achieved. The conflict was triggered by Hamas’ invasion of Israeli border communities, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,200 lives on October 7.
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s visit to the devastated Israeli community highlights the ongoing human toll of the recent massacre. As accusations of supporting antisemitic content continue to surround Musk and his social media platform, the visit serves as an opportunity for him to engage with the affected families and witness the destruction firsthand.
