Elon Musk tells Netanyahu he wants to help rebuild Gaza after war
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Elon Musk and Benjamin Netanyahu visit the Kfar Aza settlements in southern Israel on Nov. 27. Photo: Israeli Government Press Office (GPO)/Handout via Getty Images
Elon Musk told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that he wants to help rebuild Gaza after the end of the Israel-Hamas war.
Why it matters: Musk is in Israel to meet with officials and see sites that Hamas targeted in its Oct. 7 attack. The trip comes as he faces fallout for backing an antisemitic post on X earlier this month, resulting in an exodus of major advertisers.
- "We have to demilitarize Gaza after the destruction of Hamas, and we have to deradicalize Gaza ... and then we have to also rebuild Gaza," Netanyahu said in a live chat with Musk on X.
- "I'd like to help as well," Musk said, before mentioning the importance of rebuilding Japan and Germany after WWII.
Driving the news: Musk and Netanyahu toured Kfar Aza kibbutz and visited residences in the community while accompanied by security personnel, per videos released by Netanyahu's office.
- Musk was also shown photographs taken a few days after the attack, per a press release from the prime minister's office.
- After their visit to the kibbutz, Musk said "it was jarring to see the scene of the massacre."
- He added that he had been shown a short film of the Hamas attack and that it was "troubling" to see the "to see the joy experienced by people that were killing innocent civilians."
- Netanyahu said Israel is making efforts to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas deliberately targets them.
The big picture: Israel has faced growing international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire amid mounting civilian casualties in Gaza.
- Civilians in the enclave are being killed at a historic pace, the New York Times reported.
- President Biden has urged Netanyahu to limit Palestinian civilian casualties and abide by international humanitarian law.
Zoom out: Israel and Hamas on Monday agreed to extend a pause in the fighting in Gaza by two days, Israeli, Hamas and Qatari officials said.
- Monday was originally scheduled to be the last day of a four-day pause, which was agreed upon to secure the release of 50 of the hostages that Hamas took in the Oct. 7 attack.
- Israeli and U.S. officials have said the deal is structured to incentivize Hamas to release more of the hostages. Under the terms, Israel has agreed to extend the pause by a day for every 10 additional hostages Hamas releases.
Go deeper: Lives in Gaza "hang by thread" as hospital and humanitarian systems collapse
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional info from Musk's conversation with Netanyahu and new developments.
