Muslims begin Hajj 2024 pilgrimage against a backdrop of Israel-Hamas war

It is imperative to notice that one of the most significant religious pilgrimages for Muslims is the Hajj. Each year, millions of Muslims from around the world go to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. 

There were still a number of people arrive at the airports of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and the number of pilgrims performing Hajj is still increasing as the day goes by. There are also innumerable Saudi nationals already joining the pilgrims from other parts of the world. The Saudi authorities have estimated that potentially over 2 million people could attend the Hajj pilgrimage annually.

The Israel-Hamas War

This year’s Hajj occurred against a backdrop of a very deadly Israel-Hamas fighting. This conflict is gradually escalating to become a much larger regional conflict where Israel and its allies face off against Iran and its affiliated militant groups.

Palestinians Unable to Attend

Due to this war; Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip have been unable to attend the annual pilgrimage to Mecca this year. Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was shut in May following attacks by Israel’s army that expanded its operations to the city of Rafah on the borders of Egypt. In an interview, a 75-year-old Palestinian woman, Amna Abu Mutlaq, from Khan Younis in Gaza, said: “We lose our hope to perform hajj because the crossing is closed and because of the ongoing wars and destructions, they closed all doors for us. ”

Some Palestinians Still Attended

The people of the Gaza Strip were unable to travel to KSA, more than 4200 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank regions carried out the journey. Moreover, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s monarch – King Salman – extended an invitation to 1,000 Palestinians whose families, friends, or relatives were killed or injured in the Gaza war to perform the Hajj. One thousand Palestinians had left Gaza before the closure of the Rafah crossing and these had sought asylum in Egypt mainly.

Syrians conduct their pilgrimage after many years

This year was also marked by the ability of Syrian pilgrims to fly directly to Mecca from Damascus in a plane for this was the first time in over 10 years that the conflict did not allow such activities. This was to enhance sisterly relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria since there was rivalry in the Syrian conflict. In previous years since the violence erupted for Syrians to reach KSA, they had to travel by first crossing the border to Turkey.

The Importance of Hajj

The Hajj is one of the five main tenets of the Islamic faith, known in Arabic as the Five Pillars, or the framework within which a practicing Muslim is expected to live. For the five-day ritual, all Muslims must undertake it at least once in their lifetime if they are capable both in terms of strength and wealth. To the followers of Islam, the hajj is an exceptionally highly valued and compelling rite that facilitates their contact with the Divine and cleanses them of sin. It also shares the world’s more than 2 billion Muslims, or people who follow the Islamic faith. If there is conflict happening in a place during Hajj, Muslims pray for the warring parties to cease fighting and find a solution for instance in Yemen and Sudan.

The Hajj Rituals

Some of the activities conducted at the site include dancing and throwing pebbles which are all in honor of the Scriptures’ stories of Prophets Ibrahim, Ibrahim’s son Ismail, and his wife Hajar. The men dressing as pilgrims wear pain white garments known as Ihram and the women dress appropriately. An important rite is Tawaf which involves circling the Kaaba, seven times anti-clockwise in the precinct of the Kaaba’s Grand Mosque. On the second day of Hajj, the pilgrims proceed to Muzdalifa and stay there until the next day, this day is the day of Arafah.

Extreme Heat and Security

The Hajj occurs in June–really hot August with the heat index sometimes exceeding 120°F (48°C). Saudi authorities have put measures in place, deploying checkpoints and arresting any Saudi or another travel operator whoever is involved in providing transport to the holy sites for people who are not pilgrims. Following Mount Arafat, the pilgrims go back to the temporary city of Mina to continue with other acts of devotion on three subsequent days that also correspond to the worldwide Eid al-Adha celebrations.

Consequently, more than 2 million Muslims from all over the world completed the Hajj activity this year in Mecca although they had to face the summer heat as well as troublesome political unrest especially the war between Israel and Hamas that accommodated many Palestinian pilgrims’ journey.