Israel has reached out to tech billionaire Elon Musk to help negotiate the release of hostages held by Hamas. Israeli President Isaac Herzog contacted Musk recently, hoping he could persuade Donald Trump to help with the situation. Nearly 100 people are believed to be held captive by Hamas since their attack on October 7, 2023.
Trump, who is set to take office on January 20, 2024, has insisted that Hamas must release all hostages before he assumes the presidency. He warned that there would be serious consequences if they do not comply. Musk, who has given over $250 million to Trump’s campaign, is seen as a crucial link in getting Trump to take action regarding the hostages.
During a conversation with Herzog, Musk’s involvement came up as a potential strategy to influence Trump. Though it’s unclear if Musk will talk directly to Trump about this, he has acted as a go-between in important discussions before. Earlier this year, he helped arrange a talk between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and has also spoken with Iranian leaders to reduce tensions.
Musk has been active in supporting humanitarian efforts in the region too. His company SpaceX recently provided Starlink satellite internet for Gaza, which raised questions considering Israel’s strict control over communications in the area. This was seen when Starlink was set up at a Gaza hospital funded by the UAE and Israel.
For now, Israel is hopeful that Musk’s influence might help lead to negotiations that could safely bring the hostages home before the year ends.
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