In his conversation with ‘Sputnik’, Ragheb believes that Israel has not violated the peace treaty, and that its presence in the Gaza Strip breaches the crossing agreement with the Palestinian Authority, while Egypt also maintains its stance. According to the Egyptian military expert, the need for a peace treaty means dealing with the worst and most tense moments through peace, not force, and that the treaty is not only concerned with times of peace but also with addressing issues to prevent military confrontation, especially in the absence of factors that could lead to a military clash between Egypt and Israel. Ragheb described any ‘Israeli thought of engaging in a military confrontation with Egypt as ‘madness’ and tantamount to a ‘war of annihilation’ for Israel, especially given the superiority of the current Egyptian military capabilities over the army that fought in 1973 and defeated Israel, whose army is currently the weakest compared to the 73 army that was swiftly defeated by Egypt.’ Omar pointed out that the joint military exercises between Egypt and America, hosted by Cairo from August 28 to September 10 with the participation of more than 40 countries, confirm the exclusion of any possibilities of military confrontation between Egypt and Israel despite the political, diplomatic, and popular relations reaching their lowest level. He confirmed that Cairo is in constant communication with the American side regarding efforts to cease fire in the Gaza Strip, explaining that he informed the Americans that ‘the only practical existing solution’ is to accept the latest ceasefire proposal, which the Palestinian ‘Hamas’ movement accepted. Abdel Aty responded to a ‘Sputnik’ question about communication with the American administration and their response to the Israeli ‘intransigence’ regarding the ceasefire proposal in Gaza: ‘There is communication with the American side, I have communication with the American envoy Steve Whitcov, and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, and we cooperate with them and tell them that the only practical solution existing is to accept this deal based on the Whitcov proposal.’ He continued: ‘Naturally, this is the best option currently proposed and establishes and leads to a complete halt to the war and aggression and reaching the comprehensive deal we all desire.’ He added: ‘We all seek a comprehensive deal so that aggression does not recur, but we must be realistic and practical by proposing matters that can be implemented on the ground, which is embodied and defined in the Whitcov proposal accepted by the Hamas movement.’ Earlier today, the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and Qatar stressed that ‘the efforts of the two countries will not stop until an immediate ceasefire is reached in the Gaza Strip, despite Israel’s rejection of the mediators’ proposal.’ Abdel Aty confirmed the two states’ rejection of Israeli attempts, considering it an ‘unacceptable red line,’ and the two ministers emphasized ‘preventing the use of starvation weapon and continuing pressures to ensure the full and unconditional access of humanitarian aid,’ noting that ‘using aid as a weapon for starvation and collective punishment is a dangerous precedent.’
