Millions of Muslims begin Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca amid Gaza war
Millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the globe have commenced the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the sacred city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as the Israeli regime’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip rages.
In scorching heat, Muslim pilgrims gathered in Mecca at an expansive tent camp in the desert on Friday, marking the beginning of the annual Hajj pilgrimage by performing the Tawaf, or the circumambulation of the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine at the center of the Grand Mosque.
Over 1.5 million pilgrims from various parts of the globe have already gathered in and around Mecca for the Hajj, with more pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia continuing to join. Saudi authorities anticipated the total number of pilgrims this year to surpass 2 million.
The pilgrimage involves significant physical exertion, as pilgrims have to move on foot between five to 15 kilometers per day on average to perform the rituals of various sites. It serves as a test of patience and presents challenges on spiritual, emotional, and physical levels. Adequate preparation is often necessary, as for many, it represents a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Hajj pilgrimage is one of the aspects of Islam, and all Muslims are required to perform it at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. The pilgrimage consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Mecca and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrimage culminates in Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice.
This year’s Hajj is held against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip that so far killed at least 37,266 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 85,102 others.
The occupying entity has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.
Palestinians from Gaza could not travel to Mecca this year due to the closure of the Rafah crossing in May, when the Tel Aviv regime expanded its ground aggression into Rafah, a southern city on Gaza’s border with Egypt.
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