Activists sailing to Gaza say Israel ‘jamming’ their GPS; likely due to Houthi drone precaution

A member of a high-profile activist mission sailing to Gaza in an attempt to challenge Israel’s blockade claims that Israel is “jamming our communications” after their GPS tracker briefly showed them at Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport, miles away from their actual position in the Mediterranean Sea.

“We just received some very weird news that, according to our tracker, we are no longer 162 nautical miles from Gaza, but we are [at] Jordan airport,” says Brazilian activist Thiago Avila aboard the Madleen in a post to social media.

“We know what that means, when they start jamming our communication and messing with our devices, it means they are preparing for an interception or an attack,” he claims.

Since the start of the war, users of driving navigation apps in Israel have often said their GPS was showing them to be in Beirut, Cairo, or Jordan.

The GPS signal disruptions have been part of the IDF’s efforts to prevent attacks on Israel, especially drone attacks, which rely on GPS for guidance. In recent months, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have launched several drones at Israel, some of which have flown via the Mediterranean Sea.

Regardless, the GPS disruptions are unlikely to prevent the Madleen from approaching Gaza.

The Israeli Navy has been gearing up to intercept the boat before it reaches the Strip.

An activist on broad the humamatirian vessel Madleen says the boat is no longer properly tracked because their communication is blocked and jammed by Israel. pic.twitter.com/mCMrhZUF8U

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 8, 2025