Egypt’s 1st lady mourns Gehan El Sadat as ‘model of patriotic woman’

CAIRO – 9 July 2021: Egypt’s First Lady Entissar Amer on Friday mourned the death of Gehan El-Sadat, the widow of former President Anwar El-Sadat, hailing her as a “model of the ideal patriotic woman who sacrificed her comfort for her country.”

In a Facebook post, Amer said a “venerable and virtuous left our world today,” saying that she witnessed “the most difficult and harshest moments.”

“As a wife, she was the best reliance for her husband and the best mother to heroes,” Amer said.

“I still remember her image while she was healing the wounds of our heroes of the Egyptian Armed Forces during the glorious October War,” the first lady said.

“May God have mercy on the deceased and keep her in paradise and inspire her family and relatives patience and solace,” the first lady added.

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.

Egypt’s Presidency mourned the death of Gehan El-Sadat, 88. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi 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”.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a cable of condolences to Sisi over the death of 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.