Egyptian President Lauds Efforts of Armed Forces

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his meeting with members of the Armed Forces (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his meeting with members of the Armed Forces (Egyptian Presidency)
TT

Egyptian President Lauds Efforts of Armed Forces

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his meeting with members of the Armed Forces (Egyptian Presidency)
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his meeting with members of the Armed Forces (Egyptian Presidency)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi lauded the Armed Forces' efforts in carrying out their missions with all dedication.

He confirmed that the Egyptian people appreciate the efforts and sacrifices of "the heroes of the Armed Forces in defense of Egypt's security and safety."

Sisi performed Friday prayers in al-Mushir Tantawy Mosque in Cairo and then met with several Armed Forces commanders on the occasion of the 10th of Ramadan War victory.

Sisi was accompanied by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, Minister of Defense Mohamed Zaki, Egypt's Army Chief of Staff Osama Askar, and ministers of justice, Awqaf, interior, local development, and state for military production.

Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel Aal, Egypt's Mufti Shawqi Allam, Armed Forces commanders, officers, and soldiers also attended the prayers.

After the Friday prayers, Sisi met with the Armed Forces' commanders, extending his greetings to them on the 10th of Ramadan War victory. The President held talks with the commanders, tackling all local, regional and international developments and their impact on the region.

Earlier, the Minister of Defense said during the Egyptian Armed Forces' celebration that the anniversary of the tenth of Ramadan is a victory that embodied the heroism and sacrifices of the armed forces in recovering the land of Sinai.

He said they restored Egypt's pride and dignity and the Arab nation's glory and pride, stressing it will remain a great day in the history of the Egyptian military.

The Minister reiterated that the armed forces will always remain a strong protector of Egypt that defends its national security and preserves its sanctities and the integrity of its lands.



Pope Calls Situation in Gaza 'Shameful'

Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
TT

Pope Calls Situation in Gaza 'Shameful'

Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Palestinians carry the dead body of a child, at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, January 9, 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Pope Francis on Thursday stepped up his recent criticisms of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful.”

In a yearly address to diplomats delivered on his behalf by an aide, Francis appeared to reference deaths caused by winter cold in Gaza, where there is almost no electricity.

"We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians," the text said, according to Reuters.
"We cannot accept that children are freezing to death because hospitals have been destroyed or a country's energy network has been hit."

The pope, 88, was present for the address but asked an aide to read it for him as he is recovering from a cold.

The comments were part of an address to Vatican-accredited envoys from some 184 countries that is sometimes called the pope's 'state of the world' speech. The Israeli ambassador to the Holy See was among those present for the event.

Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, is usually careful about taking sides in conflicts.
But he has recently been more outspoken about Israel's military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas, and has suggested
the global community should study whether the offensive constitutes a genocide of the Palestinian people.
An Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff in December for that suggestion.

The pope's text said he condemns anti-Semitism, and called the growth of anti-Semitic groups "a source of deep concern."
Francis also called for an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, which has killed tens of thousands.