Ella Waweya to replace Avichay Adraee as Israel's Arabic army voice

Israel's army is set to appoint its highest-ranking Muslim woman to replace chief Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee, a figure widely recognised across Gaza and Lebanon as the public face of Israel's deadly attacks, a military source said on Tuesday.

Major Ella Waweya will replace Adraee, whose name has become closely associated for Palestinians and Lebanese with Israeli military attacks, evacuation threats and mass civilian casualties.

Adraee is known for issuing threats that frequently precede bombardment, often delivered in colloquial Arabic and framed with religious references and mockery.

Waweya, 36, was born in Qalansawe, an Arab city in central Israel, and enlisted in the Israeli army at the age of 24. She previously served as Adraee's deputy and was known online as "Captain Ella", according to the source.

The source said Waweya later discovered Israeli and Zionist narrative used in the military's Arabic-language messaging.

"She currently serves as the most senior Muslim female officer in the Israeli military," the source said, adding that Waweya is expected to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Adraee has been a central figure in Israel's Arabic-language military communications throughout the war on Gaza that began on 7 October 2023 and the parallel war on Lebanon.

His video statements, disseminated through official military social media channels, have become so closely tied to impending strikes that many Lebanese residents activate notifications for his posts, viewing them as advance signals of imminent attack.

During operations in Gaza and Lebanon, Adraee repeatedly issued evacuation orders to civilian populations shortly before Israeli air strikes, warnings that rights groups say often left residents with little or no safe route to escape.

Adraee, who is Jewish and was born to Syrian-Turkish parents, has also drawn criticism and ridicule in parts of the Arab world for his Arabic accent and his use of religious language while announcing military operations that resulted in widespread destruction, killings and war crimes.

Palestinians make up roughly 20 percent of Israel's population, consisting largely of those who remained inside the state after its establishment in 1948.

Millions of other Palestinians were displaced during that period, with around six million now registered as refugees living outside historic Palestine, many of whom continue to claim the right to return to their homeland.