Muslim 'Captain Ella' to Replace Avichay Adraee as IDF Arabic Spokesperson
Ella Waavia, known as "Captain Ella," set to replace long-serving spokesman in a historic shift at the IDF
The Israel Defense Forces made history this week with the appointment of Major Ella Waavia, known publicly as "Captain Ella," to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and the role of head of Arabic-language communications within the IDF Spokesperson's Office, a move that marks a dramatic shift in how Israel projects its voice to the Arab world.
Waavia, a 36-year-old Muslim woman originally from the Arab-Israeli city of Qalansawa in the Triangle region, will replace Avichay Adraee, who has led the IDF's Arabic communications apparatus for nearly two decades and built it into one of the most recognized Israeli voices across the Arab world.
The appointment is notable on multiple levels. Waavia is believed to be the first Muslim woman from the Triangle region to reach this level of senior military leadership, and her rise through the ranks has come despite significant social and personal barriers.
Born into a Muslim family in Qalansawa, Waavia attended the "Atid" school in the city and completed both a bachelor's and a master's degree in communications and governance with honors before enlisting. Her decision to join the military was deeply sensitive within her community. She was forced to conceal her service from those closest to her for an extended period. In one account she shared, her mother discovered her uniform in her room by chance and began crying and shouting in hushed tones, afraid the neighbors would hear.
Despite the pressure, Waavia pressed forward. She completed her basic training as a model soldier and during officer training in 2015 received the Presidential Excellence Award. In 2018, she was further honored with an award from the head of the Operations Directorate.
Over the course of her service, Waavia participated in several major military operations, including "Protective Edge," "Northern Shield," and "Swords of Iron." But it was her work in front of the camera that set her apart. In 2019, she launched the "Captain Ella" brand, a series of social media videos designed to communicate the IDF's positions directly to Arabic-speaking audiences.
The brand became a significant success. Waavia now commands roughly half a million followers on TikTok and reaches audiences in both enemy and allied nations across the Middle East. Her videos have become a key tool in Israel's broader information campaign, particularly in countering narratives pushed by Hamas and Iran.
With her formal appointment, Waavia will lead the IDF's Arabic-language communications team at a time when social media has become, by her own description, a battlefield in its own right. "The media arena is an arena of combat," she has said. "It is a war that is no less difficult than other places."
Her promotion marks the end of an era defined by Adraee and the beginning of a new chapter in how Israel engages the Arab world, one led by a woman who, not long ago, had to hide the uniform she now wears with pride.