At 36, she is among the most senior Arab Muslim women serving in the IDF and is widely recognized on social media under the name “Captain Ella.”
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Maj. Ella Waweya has been appointed to become the Israel Defense Forces’ next Arabic-language spokesperson, replacing Col. Avichay Adraee after two decades in the role.
The military confirmed Tuesday that Waweya, currently Adraee’s deputy, will be promoted to lieutenant colonel ahead of a formal handover ceremony expected in the coming weeks.
At 36, she is among the most senior Arab Muslim women serving in the IDF and is widely recognized on social media under the name “Captain Ella.”
Born in the central Arab city of Qalansawe, Waweya volunteered for military service in 2013 and initially kept her enlistment private from her family.
Over the years, she rose through the ranks of the spokesperson’s unit, becoming a key figure in Arabic-language outreach during the ongoing regional conflict.
She maintains a significant digital presence, with more than half a million followers on TikTok and roughly 170,000 on X, platforms that have increasingly become central to the military’s communication strategy with Arabic-speaking audiences.
Her predecessor, Adraee, became a prominent public figure across the Arab world during his 20 years in the position.
His social media accounts were frequently used to publish evacuation notices and operational warnings ahead of Israeli strikes in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran.
Through hundreds of interviews on Arabic-language networks, including Al Jazeera, he became one of the most recognizable faces of the Israeli military in the region.
Adraee’s visibility during the war elevated the role of Arabic-language messaging to a strategic priority, blending traditional media appearances with rapid digital communication aimed at civilians in conflict zones.
Waweya now steps into that position at a time when Arabic-language engagement remains central to the IDF’s operations and public messaging.
The transition marks not only a generational shift in the spokesperson’s office but also the continuation of a communication effort that has relied heavily on social platforms and direct engagement with regional audiences.
The post Maj. Ella Waweya named IDF’s next Arabic-language spokesperson appeared first on World Israel News.