Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) hands a mandate to Mohammad Mustafa in the West Bank City of Ramallah, on March 14, 2024. [Photo/Palestinian President Office handout via Xinhua]

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday approved the new government headed by Prime Minister-designate Mohammad Mustafa, the official news agency WAFA reported.

The new government will prioritize humanitarian issues, encompassing a comprehensive plan for humanitarian aid for Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and reconstruction of the enclave, the report said.

The government will also focus on efforts to stabilize the financial situation and economic impact in Gaza and West Bank, it added.

The government's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, and Mustafa will also serve as the foreign minister in the new government, it noted.

On March 14, Abbas tasked Mustafa, who was the head of the Palestine Investment Fund and a senior economic advisor to Abbas, to form the 19th government, according to WAFA.

His appointment came after the Palestinian government, led by former Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, resigned in light of challenging circumstances amid the developments in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, as well as mounting pressure on Abbas to reform the Palestinian Authority and initiate the establishment of a political framework capable of governing a future Palestinian state in the aftermath of the Gaza conflict.