According to the head of the aid team, the convoy carried more than 195 tonnes of shelter materials, including 2,250 tents. He said the assistance aims to address the conditions faced by Gazans amid recent cold weather and rainfall, which have increased the need for emergency shelter.

The UAE launched the relief mission in November 2023 under the direction of President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Since the start of the conflict between Hamas and Israel , the initiative has provided continuous humanitarian support to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu described the alliance as a “relationship of partners,” noting that operational cooperation between the two countries had reached “an all-time high,” particularly during the second phase of Operation “Am Kalavi.”

He also cited recent joint efforts such as the release of all living hostages from Gaza and the return of the deceased as evidence of successful collaboration. “We are changing the face of the Middle East together,” he added.

However, Netanyahu made clear that Israel's military responses are determined solely by its leadership. “We are not prepared to tolerate attacks against us. We respond according to our discretion,” he said, referencing airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza, including a recent operation in which Israel “dropped 150 tons on Hamas and the terrorist elements after the attack on our two soldiers.”

He emphasised that Israel takes preemptive action as well, saying, “We also thwart dangers in their formation before they materialise, as we did just yesterday in the Gaza Strip.”

Closing his remarks, Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel does not seek external permission to defend itself, “We do not ask anyone for approval for this. We control our own security, and we have also made it clear with regard to international forces that Israel will determine which forces are unacceptable to us. That is how we operate and will continue to operate.”

“We rose from the terrible disaster of October 7th. We rose with strength and delivered a fierce battle to our enemies,” he said. “This is the War of Revival of our people , a direct continuation of the War of Independence.”

Netanyahu argued that the conflict is not only a military campaign but part of a larger effort to eliminate existential threats, particularly from Iran and its allied groups, Viory reports.

“We removed the existential threat of the Iranian axis from above us,” he stated. “We established the national revival project in the land of Israel, in our strong and thriving state.”

Referencing the operation against Iran, With the Strength of a Lion’ against Iran, he invoked a traditional ethos, “a people like a lion will rise.”

The Prime Minister also revealed that bravery medals and commendations for Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers and commanders will include the new official war name. “As in previous military campaigns, the awards of this campaign will bear the official name of the War of Revival,” he added.

The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas attacks that killed 1,139 people, mostly Israeli civilians and captured over 200 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 67,000 Palestinian deaths at the time of publication.

“We have told them we want to disarm, and they will disarm. And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” Trump said. “And it will happen quickly and perhaps violently,” he said.

The remarks came just a day after a key milestone in the Gaza peace deal, with Hamas releasing the final 20 living Israeli hostages in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The first phase of the agreement, brokered with international mediation, also includes a temporary ceasefire, scaled-back Israeli military presence in Gaza, and increased humanitarian aid shipments into the battered enclave.

On Monday, Trump made a historic address to the Israeli Knesset. Hours later, world leaders gathered in Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh for the Peace Summit, where the ceasefire was formally acknowledged.

At the summit, Trump described the moment as “a new and beautiful day… rising, and now the rebuilding begins.”

However, despite the diplomatic progress, Trump’s comments on Hamas indicate that Washington is prepared to take a harder line in future stages of the agreement, which are yet to be fully negotiated.

“The peace deal… will have no bearing on the case that is before the International Court of Justice ,” he said. “Israel must respond to our pleadings by January next year. The court will then set a date for evidence to be presented,” he added.

South Africa launched the case in late 2023, accusing Israel of violating the Genocide Convention through its military operations in Gaza . According to Ramaphosa, accountability remains essential despite diplomatic progress.

“We cannot go forward without the healing that needs to take place,” he said, noting reports of over 67,000 deaths and widespread destruction in Gaza.

Ramaphosa welcomed the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners as a “confidence-building measure,” saying it should strengthen the ceasefire and open the door to renewed peace negotiations.

However, he insisted the ultimate goal must remain clear:

“Real peace means Palestine as an independent state, living side by side with Israel, both enjoying sovereignty and self-determination. That is what international law demands.”

So far, 20 living Hamas hostages have been exchanged for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under phase one of the peace deal.

Archive footage from before the war reveals a stark contrast: families enjoying Gaza’s beaches, Muslims and Christians attending prayers, and the bustling daily life in the territory’s cities. Now, those images are juxtaposed with collapsed buildings, rubble-strewn streets, and desperate residents searching for food, medicine, and missing loved ones.

The war began on October 7, 2023, following a deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed 1,139 people, including approximately 300 festivalgoers, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded with widespread airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza, initiating one of the region's deadliest and most protracted conflicts in recent history.

In a potential turning point, U.S. President Donald Trump last week unveiled a new peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict. Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas began this Monday in Egypt, signalling a possible diplomatic breakthrough. Hamas has reportedly accepted parts of the plan, including the release of all remaining hostages held since the initial attack.

Despite ongoing violence and humanitarian collapse, international mediators are cautiously optimistic that the new round of negotiations may lead to a ceasefire and pave the way for longer-term peace in the region.