Palestinian president: Late Gehan El-Sadat supported her husband in war, peace heroics

CAIRO – 9 July 2021: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday sent a cable of condolences to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi over the death of the former first lady and widow of former President Anwar El-Sadat, Gehan el-Sadat.

Gehan El-Sadat has backed her husband in his heroics in war and peace and in achieving the glorious victory in the October War of 1973, Abbas said, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Abbas extended his condolences to the Egyptian government and people over the Gehan El-Sadat’s death as well as to family of the deceased.

Gehan El-Sadat, who suffered from cancer, died on Friday after struggle with illness and after she spent around a month in the intensive care unit

Sisi mourned her death of Gehan El-Sadat, 88, and ordered awarding her the Order of the Virtues.

Sisi also ordered naming a road axis after her.

“The Egyptian Presidency mourns with deep sadness and sorrow Mrs. Gehan El-Sadat, the wife of the late President Anwar El-Sadat, the war and peace hero,” the presidential statement read.

Gehan El-Sadat had introduced “a model for the Egyptian woman supporting her husband under the most difficult and critical circumstances until he held the country to achieve the historic victory in the glorious October War,” the statement read.

It added that this victory has been “a milestone in the modern history of Egypt, which restored its pride and dignity”.