Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has mourned the death of a police officer who was killed during a shootout with militants in Cairo on Tuesday.

Another officer and two security personnel were injured and seven suspected terrorists were killed in an exchange of gunfire during a raid on a hideout in El-Amiriya neighbourhood in eastern Cairo late on Tuesday.

The interior ministry said the terrorist cell was planning to carry out attacks against Coptic Christians on their Easter holiday.

"I followed with great pride the heroic action of the interior ministry's men, which confirms the bravery of police officers in the face of terrorism and the Egyptian state's capabilities to preserve the safety and security of the homeland and citizens despite all the challenges," El-Sisi said on Twitter on Wednesday.

The president extended condolences to the family of the officer and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

The country's public prosecutor ordered an urgent investigation into the incident.