An endoscopic stitching device , comprising: an actuation shaft; a tool assembly including a suture needle and a pair of jaws transitionable between open and closed positions, each jaw of the pair of jaws including a needle engaging blade slidably supported thereon, each needle engaging blade transitionable between an extended position in which the needle engaging blade engages the suture needle and a retracted position in which the needle engaging blade is disengaged from the suture needle; and a drive assembly including first, second, and third electrical actuators , the first actuator operatively coupled with the actuation shaft to cause axial displacement of the actuation shaft, the axial displacement of the actuation shaft causing opening and closing of the pair of jaws, the second and third actuators operatively coupled with the needle engaging blades to provide axial displacement of the needle engaging blades, wherein the drive assembly further includes a printed circuit board including a microprocessor to control execution of the first, second, and third actuators , and a control interface including first and second buttons , wherein: actuation of the first button transitions the pair of jaws from the closed position to the open position; and actuation of the second button transitions the pair of jaws from the open position to the closed position, then causes a reciprocating axial displacement of the needle engaging blades to disengage one of the needle engaging blades from the suture needle and engage the other of the needle engaging blades with the suture needle, and then transitions the pair of jaws from the closed position to the open position; and wherein the control interface further comprises a third button , actuation of the third button causing the pair of jaws to close and both needle engaging blades to engage the suture needle . an actuation shaft; a tool assembly including a suture needle and a pair of jaws transitionable between open and closed positions, each jaw of the pair of jaws including a needle engaging blade slidably supported thereon, each needle engaging blade transitionable between an extended position in which the needle engaging blade engages the suture needle and a retracted position in which the needle engaging blade is disengaged from the suture needle; and a drive assembly including first, second, and third electrical actuators , the first actuator operatively coupled with the actuation shaft to cause axial displacement of the actuation shaft, the axial displacement of the actuation shaft causing opening and closing of the pair of jaws, the second and third actuators operatively coupled with the needle engaging blades to provide axial displacement of the needle engaging blades, actuation of the first button transitions the pair of jaws from the closed position to the open position; and actuation of the second button transitions the pair of jaws from the open position to the closed position, then causes a reciprocating axial displacement of the needle engaging blades to disengage one of the needle engaging blades from the suture needle and engage the other of the needle engaging blades with the suture needle, and then transitions the pair of jaws from the closed position to the open position; and wherein the control interface further comprises a third button , actuation of the third button causing the pair of jaws to close and both needle engaging blades to engage the suture needle . <EOS>