Hamdok Heads to Djibouti to Lay Foundation Stone of New ‘IGAD’ Headquarters

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok
TT
20

Hamdok Heads to Djibouti to Lay Foundation Stone of New ‘IGAD’ Headquarters

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok
Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok Kicked off Sunday an official two-day visit to Djibouti at the invitation of Djibouti’ President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

Hamdok is scheduled to discuss means of bilateral cooperation and inform the Djiboutian leadership of the developments in Sudan, according to the Sudanese Ambassador to Djibouti, Hamza al-Amin Baou.

He will also lay the foundation stone for the new headquarters of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and visit the facilities of “Djibouti Telecom” and ports in the city, Baou added.

Work of the ministerial committees between the two countries in the capital Khartoum will resume in the coming period, after it was halted for six years, he noted.

The eight-nation trading and security bloc chose Sudan in November to take over the chair position, replacing Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, Hamdok reiterated his government keenness to make peace negotiations with the armed movements successful.

Upon his meeting with South Sudan's presidential Adviser on security affairs Tut Gatluak in Khartoum on Saturday, Hamdok affirmed the transitional government's support for the ongoing peace process in Juba.

In press statements, Gatluak said parties to the negotiations have overcome many challenges, noting the positive results achieved during the current round of negotiations.

He stressed South Sudan’s keenness to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable peace that preserves stability in Sudan.

In this context, Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the ruling political alliance of civilian and rebel coalitions of Sudanese groups, has pointed to the remarkable progress in the peace process, stressing that the peace issue is fundamental and is at the forefront of the revolution’s tasks.

It said in a press statement that the outstanding issues on the negotiating table can be overcome by the revolution, which has united the national conscience.

“We appreciate the efforts exerted by the negotiating delegations, the government and the armed movements.”



Netanyahu Aide Faces Indictment over Gaza Leak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
TT
20

Netanyahu Aide Faces Indictment over Gaza Leak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces indictment on security charges pending a hearing, Israel's attorney general has said, for allegedly leaking top secret military information during Israel's war in Gaza.

Netanyahu's close adviser, Jonatan Urich, has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which legal authorities began investigating in late 2024.

Netanyahu has described probes against Urich and other aides as politically motivated and on Monday said that Urich had not harmed state security. Urich's attorneys said the charges were baseless and that their client's innocence would be proven beyond doubt, reported Reuters.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a statement late on Sunday that Urich and another aide had extracted secret information from the Israeli military and leaked it to German newspaper Bild.

Their intent, she said, was to shape public opinion of Netanyahu and influence the discourse about the slaying of six Israeli hostages by their Palestinian captors in Gaza in late August 2024.

The hostages' deaths sparked mass protests in Israel and outraged hostages' families, who accused Netanyahu of torpedoing ceasefire talks that had faltered in the preceding weeks for political reasons.

Netanyahu vehemently denies this. He has repeatedly said that Hamas was to blame for the talks collapsing, while the group has said it was Israel's fault no deal had been reached.

Four of the six slain hostages had been on the list of more than 30 captives that Hamas was set to free if a ceasefire had been reached, according to a defense official at the time.

The Bild article in question was published days after the hostages were found executed in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza. It outlined Hamas' negotiation strategy in the indirect ceasefire talks and largely corresponded with Netanyahu's allegations against the militant group over the deadlock.

Bild said after the investigation was announced that it does not comment on its sources and that its article relied on authentic documents. The newspaper did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

A two-month ceasefire was reached in January this year and included the release of 38 hostages before Israel resumed attacks in Gaza. The sides are presently engaged in indirect negotiations in Doha, aimed at reaching another truce.

In his statement on Monday, Netanyahu said Baharav-Miara's announcement was "appalling" and that its timing raised serious questions.

Netanyahu's government has for months been seeking the dismissal of Baharav-Miara. The attorney general, appointed by the previous government, has sparred with Netanyahu's cabinet over the legality of some of its policies.