Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi called for the full implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan and warned that Egypt will defend its historical Nile water rights using all means under international law.
Delivering an address on Monday during a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, Al-Sisi rejected any attempts to displace Palestinians from their land and stated that an independent Palestinian state remains the sole guarantee for enduring peace in the Middle East.
“I stress the necessity of the full implementation of President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and not circumventing or ignoring it,” Al-Sisi said.
Addressing ongoing regional turbulence, the Egyptian president reaffirmed that the security of Gulf Arab states is an integral part of Egypt’s national security. He condemned any attacks on Arab nations and emphasised the necessity of maintaining freedom of navigation in international maritime corridors.
On the Nile River, Al-Sisi delivered a firm warning regarding the country’s water security.
“The Nile is Egypt’s lifeline and the basis of its existence over thousands of years,” Al-Sisi said. “Egypt’s water share is a firm historical and legal right that cannot be diminished or compromised.” He added that while Egypt seeks cooperation and joint development with Nile Basin countries, it will not permit any measures that threaten its water security.
Domestically, Al-Sisi acknowledged the economic difficulties facing citizens. “I know for a certainty that living burdens weigh heavily on Egyptian families,” he said. He defended his government’s economic policies, stating that the state chose the “difficult and honourable” path of undertaking structural reform and facing challenges rather than relying on temporary solutions for accumulated problems.
The policy address took place at the Strategic Command headquarters in the New Administrative Capital to mark the 53rd anniversary of the 1973 October War.
During the event, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defence General Ashraf Salem Zaher, alongside Chief of Staff General Ahmed Khalifa, received the president. According to presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shenawy, the council reviewed regional security developments, military readiness, and a presentation by the head of the Armed Forces Operations Authority regarding future conscription policy, before concluding the session with a commemorative photograph.
