Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stated that the country’s army is committed to safeguarding Egypt’s national security within its mandate, emphasizing the importance of responsible use of power with maturity, restraint, and wisdom.
“The Egyptian military, with its strength, stature, capabilities, and efficiency, is committed to protecting Egypt and its national security without exceeding its mandate,” El-Sisi said.
The responsible use of power with maturity, restraint, and wisdom while avoiding tyranny is of utmost importance, he stated.
El-Sisi made his remarks on Wednesday during an inspection tour of the Third Field Army’s Fourth Armoured Division in Suez City, which was held as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the October War victory.
The president pointed out that throughout Egypt’s history, its army has never breached its borders and has been consistently dedicated to preserving its land and territory.
Egypt and its military are always in security and peace, he said while emphasizing that “we [the army] must always be prepared and vigilant.”
Egypt continues to rank among the top 15 military powers in the world and leads the Middle East and North Africa region in air power, according to the 2023 rankings of Global Firepower, an annually updated, statistics-based website tracking defence-related information of 145 nations.
The inspection tour included a parade of the weapons used by the Egyptian Armed Forces during the October 1973 War as well as weapons and arms in service through the present. It also included an air show by the Egyptian Air Force.
“What we see from the military formations today is a source of pride,” El-Sisi said.
During his speech at the event, Major General Staff Sherif Jouda El-Araishi, commander of the Third Field Army, highlighted the army’s readiness and combat proficiency.
“We have currently reached the highest levels of combat proficiency and readiness, and are ready to execute ground operations within our designated area of responsibility or any other assigned location,” said the commander.
While doing so, El-Araishi added, the army keeps the best interests of the nation at the forefront, safeguarding its security and safety.
The army is a protective barrier and a shield against anyone attempting to tamper with our country’s resources, he said.
Israel-Gaza War
During the event, the Egyptian president revealed that many events had been planned to celebrate the anniversary of the war but had to be scrapped due to the situation in Gaza.
El-Sisi said that Egypt is playing a positive role in de-escalating the Israeli war on Gaza and trying to reach a ceasefire.
“We make significant efforts to provide civilians in the Gaza Strip with all the necessary aid and alleviate their suffering,” El-Sisi said, adding that “Egypt deals with all crises using wisdom and patience, without excessive use of force.”
In his speech, the Egyptian president stated that Egypt played a positive role in containing escalation in the Gaza Strip during the five rounds of conflict over the past 20 years.
Reiterating Egypt’s official longstanding stance supporting the two-state solution, El-Sisi stated that a Palestinian state must be established on the 4 June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital to ensure the security of both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
Egypt has been calling for an immediate, sustainable, and non-conditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a cessation of all attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land.
Egypt has been playing a role in the ongoing talks to release the Israeli civilian captives. On Monday, following successful Egyptian-Qatar meditation, Hamas’ military wing the Al-Qassam Brigades released two Israelis from around 200 held by the militant group since 7 October.
Egypt also has been working with the US and the United Nations to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, which has been targeted four times by Israeli forces in the past 19 days.
As of Tuesday night, around 60 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid entered the strip, with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres describing them as “a drop of aid in an ocean of need.”
“To ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer, and facilitate the release of captives, I reiterate my appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” Guterres told a Security Council session on Tuesday.
Egypt also hosted on Saturday the Cairo Summit for Peace in an attempt to de-escalate the ongoing conflict. Arab leaders at the summit focused on demanding a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza while Western officials focused on condemning Hamas’ 7 October attack.
Source: Ahram Online
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