Presidential hopeful Hisham El-Bastawisi released a statement on Saturday condemning the Israeli attack, which killed five Egyptian soldiers, and urging the Egyptian government to take firm action.

In his statement he said that the incident demonstrates that political figures and groups are right in their long-standing demands for the peace treaty with Israel to be renegotiated: Egypt needs to regain full authority over the Sinai.

He added that fair and permanent peace cannot be forced on nations, but can only be accomplished by the agreement of nations that are on equal terms.

El-Bastawisi urged all Egyptian political groups to maintain unity and put all differences aside, emphasising that this can only be accomplished by a quick handover of power to a civil, democratically-elected government. In Egypt's case, the military can release its rule over the country and return to its original military responsibilities, backed by a free and democratic government, he added.