In response to the evolving situation in the region and the declaration of war between Gaza and Israel, Google and Apple have temporarily disabled live traffic updates in Maps and Waze for citizens in both locations.
Google has announced that people can still use Maps and Waze to get route information, but they won't be able to see real-time traffic data in the applications as they usually do.
Sources state that Google disabled live traffic to comply with a direct request from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) because the feature could potentially reveal its troops' movements and tip off Hamas, recognized by the US and the EU as a terrorist organization.
Google has previously disabled the ability to see live traffic conditions "in conflict situations," like times of war. Indeed, the company previously deactivated Maps' live traffic data in Ukraine in response to the ongoing war with Russia.
Through such decisions, tech companies aim to promote safety in such dangerous locales and avoid any further conflicts.
