Egypt's Presidential Campaign Chief Responds to Questions on Gaza Crisis and President Sisi's Stance

Mahmoud Fawzy, the campaign chief for presidential candidate Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, addressed questions regarding whether the official campaign benefited from the events in Gaza and President Sisi's decisive and supportive stance against the liquidation of the Palestinian cause. Fawzy emphasized that neither the president nor the campaign treated the Gaza issue as an electoral matter from the beginning.

In an interview with Al-Youm Al-Sabea, Fawzy stated, "Since day one, the president and his electoral campaign did not exploit the Gaza issue for electoral gains. We suspended campaign activities when the Egyptian government declared a nationwide mourning for the martyrs of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza. Palestine is our collective cause, and for us, Palestine is a neighbor and a brother. Therefore, it is not a subject for any political maneuvering."

He further emphasized that President Sisi, by taking a clear and early stance, stood alone globally when others were silent on the Palestinian issue. Fawzy highlighted that President Sisi explicitly rejected the liquidation of the Palestinian cause and was the only leader who opposed the displacement of Palestinians, especially to Sinai.

Fawzy stated, "The president responded to the call of duty and did what he had to do to safeguard Egypt's national security and protect the central cause of Egypt—the Palestinian issue. His clear stance had a broad positive response from Egyptians, indicating that the president struck a chord with the people and expressed their sentiments directly. Therefore, I completely refute the notion that this stance was an electoral move."

He concluded, "Sometimes, the president makes painful decisions that may contradict his popularity and electoral interests because, in all decisions and stances, he prioritizes the nation's interest and sacrifices personal gain, as that is a sense of responsibility."