IDF appoints ‘Captain Ella’ as new Arabic spokesperson

A Muslim Arab from the central Israeli city of Kalansuwa, Waweya joined the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit in 2013 and has since worked extensively in Arabic-language communications.

By World Israel News Staff

The IDF has appointed Maj. Ella Waweya as its new Arabic-language spokesperson, promoting her to the rank of lieutenant colonel, the military announced following a senior assignments review on Tuesday.

Waweya, widely known as “Captain Ella,” will replace Col. Avichai Adraee, who is stepping down after more than a decade as one of Israel’s most recognizable voices in the Arab world.

She becomes the IDF’s chief spokesperson in Arabic at a time of continued regional tension and high-stakes information warfare.

A Muslim Arab from the central Israeli city of Kalansuwa, Waweya joined the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit in 2013 and has since worked extensively in Arabic-language communications.

Until now, she served as Adraee’s deputy and as head of the IDF’s Arab communications department, making her a familiar figure to Arabic-speaking audiences even before her formal appointment.

In past interviews, Waweya has spoken openly about the personal challenges of her service. In a Channel 12 interview, she described hiding her enlistment from her family for more than a year before her mother discovered her IDF uniform at home.

She acknowledged facing backlash within her community but said she chose to serve with respect rather than confrontation. “I am the face of the IDF now in my society,” she said at the time. “For that, I need to show respect.”

She steps into a position shaped by Adraee’s long tenure. Over the years, he became one of Israel’s most recognizable military figures across the Middle East, delivering messages directly to Arabic-speaking audiences during wars, security crises, and major operations.

His briefings and warnings, often issued via social media, served as the IDF’s primary channel for evacuation notices to civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond. In Lebanon, local media famously dubbed him “the man controlling the daily lives of the Lebanese.”

Waweya now inherits that platform and responsibility, stepping into one of the IDF’s most consequential and high-visibility positions as the military’s voice to millions of Arabic-speaking audiences across the region.

The role places her at the forefront of conveying the IDF’s messages during war, crisis, and routine security activity, shaping how Israel’s actions and intentions are understood far beyond its borders.