February 4, 2026
"Captain Ella" will be the IDF spokesperson in Arabic
אביחי אדרעי ואלה ואויה. תמונות: ויקיפדיה, עיבוד: gemini
Major Ella Waweya will be the IDF spokesperson in Arabic.
She will replace Avichay Adraee, who was the spokesperson for about 20 years.
Waweya is nicknamed "Captain Ella" on social media.
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She was born to an Arab Muslim family in Israel. She enlisted in the IDF in 2013. For many years, she was deputy head of Arabic communications.
Ella says that "the media arena is a battlefield." She believes it is very important to convey Israel's message to the world. This is no less important than actions on the ground.
Ella is also active on social media. She has half a million followers on TikTok. She addresses a young audience in the Middle East. She tries to promote Israel's positions there.
The replacement of the spokesperson comes at a challenging time for Israel in the Arabic media. There are many accusations against Israel and a lot of "fake news." Israel is trying to convey its messages directly to the Arab public.