Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesman who became a household name across the Arab world for his stark evacuation warnings, is retiring after 20 years in the role. Known for his animated social media posts and maps shaded in red, Adraee has been the primary source of alerts for hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon ahead of Israeli strikes.
His warnings, often issued with little notice, have driven millions to flee their homes, seeking refuge in overcrowded tent camps. Adraee, 43, takes pride in his work, asserting that his orders saved countless lives.
"Because of these evacuation orders, many millions were saved," he told the Associated Press. "There's no other army in the world that acts this way." However, many Palestinians and Lebanese view him differently.
Ayman Ahmad, a resident of Khan Younis in southern Gaza who has been displaced twice, called Adraee "the face of evil." "Once we see a new post from him, we know that a disaster is about to happen," Ahmad said. Adraee's career began in 2005 as the military's first Arabic-language spokesperson, and he adapted to the rise of social media in 2011, using platforms like Instagram and X to deliver messages directly to the public.
His posts have been credited with saving lives but also criticized for allegedly justifying the killings of journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists noted a pattern where Adraee labeled Palestinian and Lebanese journalists as militants without verifiable evidence.
In one instance, he posted a computer-generated image of a slain journalist in military fatigues, later calling it a mistake. Adraee will be succeeded by Lt.
Ella Waweya, the military's highest-ranking Muslim woman. His retirement marks the end of an era for a figure who was both feared and followed across the region.