Friday, 09 October 2026
Sisi says Egypt ready to defend security, rejects Palestinian displacement
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said the armed forces were ready to defend the country’s security and resources, as he marked the 53rd anniversary of Egypt’s 1973 war with Israel.
Speaking at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces at the Strategic Command headquarters in the New Capital, Sisi said the military must maintain the highest levels of readiness amid unprecedented regional challenges, according to a statement from his office.
In a speech marking the anniversary, Sisi said Egypt rejected any attempt to displace Palestinians from their land and called for the full implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
He said the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in line with international resolutions was the only guarantee of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
He also reiterated Egypt’s support for the unity and sovereignty of Arab states, saying the security of Gulf countries was an integral part of Egypt’s national security. He called for the protection of freedom of navigation in international waterways.
On the Nile, Sisi described Egypt’s water share as a historic and legal right that could not be diminished, while saying Cairo remained open to cooperation with other Nile Basin countries. Egypt would defend its water security by all means provided for under international law, he said.
The meeting also addressed regional and international developments and their implications for Egyptian national security. Defence Minister Ashraf Salem Zaher reviewed the armed forces’ activities, while the head of military operations presented an overview of future recruitment policy, the presidency said.
Egypt and Israel fought several wars before signing a peace treaty in 1979. Egypt’s 1973 crossing of the Suez Canal and recapture of territory in the Sinai Peninsula are commemorated annually.