New Sudanese Government Takes Constitutional Oath

Part of the new Sudanese cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony at the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 (AFP)
Part of the new Sudanese cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony at the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 (AFP)
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New Sudanese Government Takes Constitutional Oath

Part of the new Sudanese cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony at the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 (AFP)
Part of the new Sudanese cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony at the Republican Palace in Khartoum on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 (AFP)

Sudan's newly-appointed ministers took the constitutional oath on Wednesday before Sovereign Council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, in the presence of the Chief Justice Nemat Abdullah.

Also, three leaders of the armed movements are expected to take the constitutional oath as members of the Transitional Sovereign Council.

Burhan reiterated that the path of change and revolution will continue to unfold because it is guarded by the Sudanese people’s will.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, he stressed that the new government will not disappoint the Sudanese people, who suffered enough in the past period.

Sudan is going through difficult circumstances, which require unity and cohesion to get rid of all the obstacles that hinder its progress.

“The previous government did its best but faced many dilemmas and obstacles,” he noted, stressing the importance of pledging to join hands to be able to complete the state apparatus and proceed in the democratic transition.

Hamdok, for his part, described the new government as representing a “broad political alliance capable of saving the country from collapse.”

This second cabinet was formed in light of a great revolution and very complex circumstances accompanied by economic and security challenges, he explained.

He affirmed that the coming days will witness consensus on an agenda that addresses the basic issues in the country.

Minister of Cabinet Affairs Khalid Omar said the new cabinet “reflects the unique diversity in the country’s history,” hoping to fulfill the peace process so that it is more representative of Sudan’s social and political bases.

In the cabinet’s first press conference, Omar confirmed that the new government agreed on a vision for the transitional program, which prioritizes economic reform.

He pointed out that the previous government had begun taking steps to address the structural economic crises, yet no results have been seen on the ground.

The new government, he added, will ensure addressing the economic issue and will work on security and military reform, provide safety for all citizens, achieve comprehensive transitional justice to hold criminals accountable, compensate victims and prepare the conditions to hold free and fair elections at the end of the transitional period.



Israeli Strikes Kill 14 People in Gaza, Mediators Strive for a Truce Deal

 Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israeli Strikes Kill 14 People in Gaza, Mediators Strive for a Truce Deal

 Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians search for casualties at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, January 5, 2025. (Reuters)

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 14 Palestinians in three separate attacks in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, taking the weekend death toll to 102, Palestinian medics said, as US and Arab mediators stepped up efforts to conclude a ceasefire deal.

Health officials said an Israeli airstrike killed five people in a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, while another airstrike killed four others in Jabalia in the northern edge of the enclave, where Israeli forces have been operating for three months.

Later on Sunday, an Israeli airstrike hit a police station in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing five people, medics said. It wasn't immediately clear if all the dead were policemen.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on Sunday's strikes.

Earlier on Sunday, the health ministry of Hamas-run Gaza said Israeli strikes across the territory had killed at least 88 Palestinians and wounded more than 200 others in the past 24 hours.

In Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, relatives and neighbors rushed to the Zuhd family's house, which was struck by an Israeli airstrike late on Saturday, killing seven people, medics said. The search continued on Sunday morning for four others believed to be trapped under the rubble.

A hand belonging to one of the dead could be seen amongst the ruins, with the rest of his body buried under collapsed masonry. Three men removed dirt with their bare hands to retrieve bodies and search for possible survivors.

"Three young men, the son’s wife, and three children are still here. We retrieved this cousin of mine. Another cousin has been martyred and is now in the hospital. Approximately 11 people have been martyred here," Ammar Zuhd, a relative, told Reuters.

ISRAEL SAYS DOZENS OF HAMAS MILITANTS KILLED

The Israeli military said in a statement on Sunday that its forces had attacked more than 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Hamas fighters. It said it had also destroyed rocket launching sites that had been used to wage rocket attacks on Israel in recent days.

A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Israeli negotiators were dispatched on Friday to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, while US President Joe Biden's administration, which is helping to mediate, urged Hamas to agree to a deal.

Hamas said it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas fighters on communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's military campaign, with the stated goal of eradicating Hamas, has leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,805 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.