In photos: Egypt’s president leads military funeral of Gehan El-Sadat

Egypt Today staff

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 - 03:38 GMT

Egypt Today staff

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 - 03:38 GMT

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attends the funeral of Gehan El-Sadat at the Unknown Soldier Memorial – Presidency/screenshot

CAIRO – 9 July 2021: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and First Lady Entissar Amer arrived on Friday at the Unknown Soldier Memorial in Nasr City to attend the funeral of Gehan El-Sadat, the widow of former President Anwar El-Sadat.

President Sisi led El-Sadat’s military funeral. The former first lady is set to be buried besides the grave of Anwar El-Sadat, the hero of peace and war.

Sisi and the first lady extend condolences to the family of El-Sadat while attending her funeral.

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.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, House of Representatives’ Speaker Hanafi El-Gebali, Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki, Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed El-Tayyeb and Gehan’s son, Gamal El-Sadat, attended the funeral.

The Presidency earlier on Friday mourned the death of Gehan El-Sadat, 88. 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”.