2,500 Gaza Muslims Unable to Perform Hajj

While thousands of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank have traveled to perform Hajj, no Palestinians from the besieged Gaza Strip were able to make the pilgrimage this year.

According to Turkish news outlet TRT World, due to the Israeli control of the Rafah Crossing and the blockade of the territory, 2,500 Gazan worshippers were unable to perform Hajj this year.

The report stated that due to the ongoing Israeli blockade and the attack and occupation of the Rafah Crossing, which connects Gaza with Egypt, 2,500 Palestinians were prevented from traveling for Hajj. This information was confirmed by the Ministry of Endowments in the besieged territory.

Ministry spokesperson Ikrami Al-Mudallal told Anadolu Agency that obstructing the pilgrimage is a clear violation of religious freedom.

He explained that due to Israeli aggression and the war, the ministry could not complete the normal preparations for Hajj, such as signing transportation agreements between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and booking accommodations for pilgrims in Mecca and Medina.

Al-Mudallal stated that the closure of the Rafah Crossing and the ongoing conflict have prevented 2,500 Muslims from Gaza and accompanying missions from traveling for Hajj. This group represents 38 percent of the total 6,600 Palestinian pilgrims.

The ministry has been in contact with the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who also described the situation as a "clear violation" of the rights of Palestinian pilgrims.

People from Gaza typically travel through the Rafah Crossing to Egypt first, and then proceed to Saudi Arabia. However, since May, the crossing has been closed by Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, Saudi authorities have reported that 1,000 family members of Palestinians killed or injured in the Hamas-Israel conflict have been invited by King Salman to perform Hajj this year. However, none of them came directly from Gaza