Google is disabling traffic data in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Other similar services such as Waze (also owned by Google) and Apple Maps are taking the same steps at the request of the Israel Defense Forces, according to Bloomberg sources.
The tech giant has released a statement explaining that “as we have done previously in conflict situations and in response to the evolving situation in the region, we have temporarily disabled the ability to view live traffic conditions […] for the safety of local communities.”
We have witnessed similar actions from Google before, such as in the case of the war between Ukraine and Russia. In October 2022, the company disabled access to real-time traffic information in Ukraine. This measure is taken because such tracking could potentially reveal the location and movements of Israeli troops.
Although drivers won’t have access to detailed traffic information, they can still obtain other data such as estimated arrival times. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, open-source intelligence expert Jerry Lewis told Vice News that Google Maps helped him detect movements of Russian soldiers near the Ukraine border in the hours before Putin announced the attack. In this case, the application indicated it as a “traffic jam.”
On the other hand, the Israeli military is pressuring Prime Minister Netanyahu to start a ground invasion in Gaza, despite criticism from world leaders. Whether it happens or not, Israel continues to bombard from the air.
