Captain Ella
Ella Waweya | |
|---|---|
| Native name | إيلا واوية |
| Born | 16 October 1989 Qalansawe, Israel |
| Allegiance | Israel |
| Rank | lieutenant colonel |
| Unit | IDF Spokesperson's Unit |
| Commands | Head of the Arab Media Division of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit |
Ella Waweya (Hebrew: אלה ואויה, Arabic: إيلا واوية; born 16 October 1989), known widely as "Captain Ella" (Hebrew: קפטן אלה, Arabic: كابتن إيلا),[1][2] is an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer who holds the rank of lieutenant colonel. She is the highest-ranking Muslim Arab woman in the IDF and is currently serving as the Spokesperson for the IDF's Arabic media, heading the Arabic communications department.
Biography
Ella was born in Qalansawe, Israel, to a Muslim family. She completed her high school education at Atid School in her hometown, earned a BA with honors in Communications from Netanya Academic College, and an MA with honors in Government and Political Marketing from the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya.[3]
Before joining the IDF, she worked in communications, including radio broadcasting, and founded the “Shared Life” project to promote Arab–Jewish coexistence. After national service at Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba in 2011, she volunteered for the Israel Defense Forces in 2013, becoming the first female soldier from the Triangle area, initially keeping her service private from her family as they excommunicated her for treason.[3]
In February 2026, Ella was selected to succeed Avichay Adraee, who lately retired from Spokesperson for the IDF's Arabic media.[1][2][4] On 15 February, she was officially appointed as the IDF's Arabic media spokesperson during a handover ceremony in Tel Aviv.[5]
Social media
Under the moniker "Captain Ella", Waweya posts Arabic-language content on social media.[2] According to The Times of Israel, she has more than half a million followers on TikTok and 200,000 on X.[2]
References
- ^ a b Kubovich, Yaniv (3 February 2026). "Top IDF Female Muslim Officer 'Captain Ella' Named as Next Arabic Spokesperson". Haaretz.
- ^ a b c d Fabian, Emanuel (3 February 2026). "Senior female Muslim officer tapped as next IDF Arabic-language spokesperson". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
- ^ a b Merlin, Ohad (July 13, 2024). "Meet Ella Waweya, the IDF's top Muslim woman, speaking out to the Arab world - exclusive". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
- ^ "גדלה בקלנסווה והתגייסה לצה"ל בסתר: הכירו את 'קפטן אלה' - היורשת של אדרעי". Channel 10 . November 12, 2025.
- ^ Fabian, Emanuel (2026-02-15). "Lt. Col. Ella Waweya takes over from Avichay Adraee as IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2026-02-15.