Who is Avichay Adraee, the Israeli spokesman causing panic with forced evacuation orders?

Since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, and began clashing with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Avichay Adraee’s name has been frequently mentioned, from official statements to televised comments with thousands tuning in across the region.

For many in Palestine and Lebanon, his Arabic heard in official statements with a Hebrew accent is often a sign of bad news to come.

Since Israel escalated its war on Lebanon on 23 September, killing hundreds of people and forcing over a million more to flee, people have been following his speeches and videos, which often include information about forced evacuation orders and threatened targets of the Israeli military.

Adraee, the Arabic media spokesperson for the Israeli army, is well known for his extensive social media presence, making regular appearances on TikTok and X.

Adraee is partly of Iraqi descent, with his maternal grandparents hailing from the country, and his paternal grandparents originating from Turkey and Syria.

He has been making media appearances since the 2006 war in Lebanon, with various reports stating that he was encouraged to learn Arabic by his father at home, later perfecting it at school and by watching old Egyptian films.

When he took a job with the Israeli military as a spokesperson to Arabic media in his early 20s, he emphasised the importance of using social media. Since then, many of his posts have been in Arabic.

"The idea was to use social media not only to disseminate press releases but also to generate discourse among specific target audiences," he said. "We are looking to influence, not just do PR."

Over the years, he has become a household name, triggering much ire, memes and parodies in the Middle East.

Evacuation orders

More recently however, Adraee has been making announcements telling residents in Gaza and Lebanon to leave their homes in specific areas, signalling forthcoming Israeli air strikes.

Earlier this month, Adraee ordered the immediate evacuation of people living in 25 towns in southern Lebanon.

In a statement, he called residents of the towns to leave their homes and head north of the Awali River.

The list of towns included: Nabi Qasim, Al-Matariyyah, Kharayeb, Mazraat Kauthariyet El Rez, Ansar, Babliyeh, Deir Taqla, Aadloun and Ansariyeh.

Adraee does not give specific dates or times stating when residents can return to their homes, but has said the Israeli army will allow it "when appropriate conditions allow".

According to rights group Amnesty International, Israel has been giving "misleading" evacuation warnings to civilians, and not allowing them time to flee to safety.

"Our analysis shows that not only did the warnings issued by the Israeli military include misleading maps, but they were also issued at short notice – in one instance less than 30 minutes before strikes began – in the middle of the night, via social media, when many people would be asleep, offline or not following media reports," said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“Furthermore, instructing the residents of entire towns and villages in south Lebanon to evacuate is an overly general warning that is inadequate and raises questions around whether this is intended to create the conditions for mass displacement. Regardless of the efficacy of the warnings, they do not mean that Israel can treat any remaining civilians as targets," Callamard added.

Accusations against Gaza journalists

Earlier this year, Adraee also slammed the Al Jazeera Network, accusing them of covering up Hamas’s activities.

"I am convinced that he knows the names of a great number of the Hamas terrorists among those killed in the school. But he presents a lie, the motivation for which has nothing to do with the residents of Gaza," he wrote on X, referring to Al-Jazeera Arabic journalist Anas Al-Sharif, who has been covering the war on Gaza since it began.

Al-Jazeera responded to his comments, publishing a statement calling his remarks “not only  an attack on Anas’s character and integrity but also a clear attempt to stifle the truth and silence those who are courageously reporting from Gaza”.

"Anas has seen the aftermath of horrific events, including the killing of over 100 civilians today, and yet, he continues to report with integrity and courage," the statement continued.

Hundreds of journalists, including several from Al-Jazeera and their close relatives have been killed by Israel throughout the war on Gaza. Many of Al-Sharif's relatives were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beit Lahiya on Sunday.