In a recent announcement, a Google representative confirmed that both of its mapping services, Maps and Waze, have temporarily disabled the feature of viewing live traffic conditions in Israel due to the Hamas-Israel conflict in the Gaza Strip. Wave is an Israeli mapping service that Google acquired in 2013 and merged the two product development teams together in 2022.
"We have taken similar actions in conflict situations. In response to the growing tensions in the region, Google has decided to temporarily disable the ability to view live traffic and crowded areas to ensure the safety of the local community," a Google Maps spokesperson emphasized.
Google Maps still gives directions, but doesn't show real-time traffic conditions
The person also said that the company consulted with many parties, including regional and local authorities, before making the decision. However, Google did not clarify whether the move came at the request of the Israeli Defense Forces.
Users who need to use the location service to get directions to a specific location will have no problem. The map will calculate and map out the route as usual, with an estimated time of travel, but will not show traffic conditions anywhere along the way.
Last year, the search giant made a similar decision after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out. In Ukraine, Google temporarily turned off real-time traffic and vehicle data.
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