Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, visited Israel on Monday to tour the site of the devastating Oct. 7 massacre at Kibbutz Kfar Gaza, an Israeli community near the Gaza border.
During this visit, hosted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Musk wore a dark suit with a bulletproof vest, joining Netanyahu and military officials in protective gear.
Musk’s Israel visit: Confronting Oct. 7 tragedy, meeting with victims families
The visit was centered on the tragic events of Oct. 7, when 1,200 Israelis were killed in a single day, and over 240 hostages were taken into Gaza by Hamas-led forces.
Musk engaged directly with the impact of this violence, meeting with victims’ families and local leaders and witnessing the destruction in Kibbutz Kfar Gaza.
Musk visits Liebstein family, reflects on heroism, tragedy in Israel’s conflict
He observed homes and buildings that had been severely damaged, including a child’s crib pierced by bullet shells and furniture that had been burned.
One poignant moment during Musk’s visit was his stop at the home of the Liebstein family.
There, he learned about the bravery of the late Ofir Liebstein, the head of the council, who was killed while trying to repel the terrorists on Oct. 7.
This account was provided in a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
Musk’s emotional visit to Itamari family, witnesses Gaza conflict’s aftermath
Musk also visited the Itamari family, hearing the harrowing story of the 4-year-old girl Avigail Idan, whose parents were murdered and who was subsequently taken hostage in Gaza.
Avigail was among those released by Hamas on Sunday.
The Israeli Defense Forces official showed Musk photos of the Itamari family home and the community, illustrating the state of the area before the massacre by members of the Izeddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
Musk’s Israel agenda: Social media chat, political meetings, tech sector discussions
Additionally, Musk participated in a live chat on his social media platform X with Netanyahu, discussing various topics, including artificial intelligence.
Musk’s schedule included meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, war cabinet minister Benny Gantz, and representatives of hostage families.
He also planned to meet with leaders in Israel’s technology sector.
Musk visits Israel amid X antisemitic content controversy
He has previously expressed interest in providing Starlink, a satellite-based internet service, to assist in communications in Israel and Gaza, though this has not yet materialized.
Musk’s visit occurs amid personal controversies, including accusations of allowing antisemitic content on his platform X and agreeing with statements perceived as antisemitic.
Musk has defended himself, stating, “Nothing could be further from the truth,” and emphasized that promoting genocide on X would result in account suspensions.
Musk’s Israel visit: Navigating complexities of Israel-Hamas conflict
The backdrop of Musk’s visit is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The recent war, which led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, was sparked by a Hamas-led invasion of Israeli border communities.
The U.S. State Department recognizes Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Netanyahu and Hamas leaders have both committed to continuing their military objectives after the temporary truce expires.
