Egypt’s Defense Minister Urges Air Defense Forces to Maintain Peak Combat Readiness

Defense Minister Abdel Majeed Saqr at the iftar with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday. (Egyptian Military Spokesman)
Defense Minister Abdel Majeed Saqr at the iftar with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday. (Egyptian Military Spokesman)
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Egypt’s Defense Minister Urges Air Defense Forces to Maintain Peak Combat Readiness

Defense Minister Abdel Majeed Saqr at the iftar with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday. (Egyptian Military Spokesman)
Defense Minister Abdel Majeed Saqr at the iftar with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday. (Egyptian Military Spokesman)

Egyptian Defense Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Abdel Majeed Saqr called on the country’s air defense forces to maintain rigorous training and the highest levels of combat efficiency and operational readiness. He also stressed the importance of enhancing the technical performance of weapons and equipment to ensure maximum effectiveness.

During an iftar gathering with members of the Air Defense Forces on Sunday, Saqr emphasized the need for full preparedness to protect Egypt’s airspace against all threats. The event was attended by Chief of Staff Ahmed Khalifa, senior military commanders, and key officials from the armed forces.

According to military spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez, the defense minister conveyed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s appreciation for the unwavering efforts of Egypt’s air defense personnel in safeguarding national airspace around the clock.

He reaffirmed the Armed Forces’ commitment to continuously supporting the air defense units by equipping them with the latest combat systems to ensure optimal mission execution.

Saqr also reviewed regional developments and their implications for Egypt’s national security, underscoring the strategic importance of maintaining a well-prepared and technologically advanced military.

On Saturday, the defense minister shared an iftar meal with troops from the Central Military Zone, Border Guards, Paratroopers, and Special Forces. He highlighted the army’s recent advancements in training and armament across all branches, formations, and units.

“Our Armed Forces, equipped with a modernized defense system, are fully capable of securing the country’s strategic borders,” Saqr stated. He described national defense as a “sacred duty” requiring continuous readiness to confront emerging challenges.

He also urged the troops to prioritize ongoing training, maintain high morale, and enhance both their physical and tactical skills, ensuring that the military remains vigilant and prepared to execute any mission under any circumstances.



Gaza Health Ministry Reports 51 Deaths from Israeli Strikes, Bringing Overall Toll to Over 52,000

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, May 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, May 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
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Gaza Health Ministry Reports 51 Deaths from Israeli Strikes, Bringing Overall Toll to Over 52,000

Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, May 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, May 14, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo

Hospitals in the Gaza Strip received the remains of 51 Palestinians over the past 24 hours who were killed in Israeli strikes, the local Health Ministry said Sunday, bringing the Palestinian death toll from the 18-month-old Israel-Hamas war to 52,243.

The overall toll includes nearly 700 bodies for which the documentation process was recently completed, the ministry said in its latest update. The daily toll includes bodies retrieved from the rubble after earlier strikes.

Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise bombardment on March 18, and has been carrying out daily waves of strikes since then. Ground forces have expanded a buffer zone and encircled the southern city of Rafah, and now control around 50% of the territory.

Israel has also sealed off the territory's 2 million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, for nearly 60 days. Aid groups say supplies will soon run out and that thousands of children are malnourished, The AP news reported.

Israeli authorities say the renewed offensive and tightened blockade are aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023r Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is destroyed or disarmed, and all the hostages are returned.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive — in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the now-defunct ceasefire reached in January.

Gaza's Health Ministry says women and children make up most of the Palestinian deaths, but does not say how many were militants or civilians. It says another 117,600 people have been wounded in the war.

The overall tally includes 2,151 dead and 5,598 wounded since Israel resumed the war last month.

Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and it blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in densely populated areas.

Israel's offensive has destroyed vast parts of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population, leaving hundreds of thousands of people sheltering in squalid tent camps or bombed-out buildings.