Sisi: October war proves Egypt’s army-people cohesion impregnable fortress for state

CAIRO – 6 October 2024: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi emphasized that the Armed Forces’ sacrifices during the October war 1973 have proven that cohesion between the people and the military remains “the impregnable fortress” for the Egyptian state.

In a social media post on the 51st anniversary of the October war, President Sisi emphasized that the glorious October victory will remain “a turning point in Egypt's contemporary history, and a symbol of its pride and dignity.”

He underlined the wonderful epics of sacrifice demonstrated by the Egyptian military men and leaders to restore the pure land of Sinai.

“They have set a great example, with the support of a greater people, in steadfastness and achieving victory, to confirm that the cohesion between the people and the armed forces is the impregnable fortress that protects the Egyptian State throughout its history,” Sisi stated.

October war victories

The October victory was launched by Egypt and Syria, bolstered by military, political, and economic Arab support against Israel in 1973.

The war commenced on Saturday, October 6, 1973, corresponding to the 10th of Ramadan 1393 AH, with a surprise attack by the Egyptian and Syrian armies on Israeli forces stationed in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights.

Known as the Yom Kippur War in Israel, this war saw the Egyptian and Syrian armies achieve strategic objectives through their military ambush on Israel with the initial days witnessing significant advancements.

Egyptian forces penetrated 20 km east of the Suez Canal and Syrian forces entered deep into the Golan Heights.

In the war's aftermath, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger acted as a mediator, reaching a ceasefire agreement that remains in effect between Syria and Israel. Egypt and Israel later brokered a comprehensive peace agreement at Camp David in 1979.

The war officially concluded with the signing of the Disengagement Agreement on 31 May, 1974.

Israel agreed to return the city of Quneitra to Syria and the eastern bank of the Suez Canal to Egypt in exchange for the withdrawal of Egyptian and Syrian forces from the ceasefire line and the establishment of a UN peacekeeping force to monitor the agreement.

Key outcomes of the war included reclaiming full sovereignty over the Suez Canal, regaining all territories in the Sinai Peninsula, and retrieving parts of the Syrian Golan Heights, including the city of Quneitra, back to Syrian sovereignty.

Additionally, the war shattered the myth of Israel's invincibility perpetuated by Israeli military leaders, paving the way for the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel in September 1978.

The war also led to the resumption of navigation in the Suez Canal in June 1975.