More than one million pilgrims gathered in Mecca on Friday, signaling the beginning of the current season's rituals, which come amid regional tensions due to the ongoing war in Gaza and in the midst of exhausting temperatures. The crowds of pilgrims began to perform the Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba, the Qibla of Muslims in their prayers, dressed in white Ihram garments, many feeling sorrow after eight months of war between Israel and the Islamic resistance movement (Hamas) in Gaza.
On Monday, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued an order to host a thousand pilgrims "from the families of the martyrs and the injured from the Gaza Strip," bringing the number of Palestinian pilgrims this year to two thousand, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Despite this, the Saudi minister in charge of Hajj, Tawfiq al-Rubai, warned last week that there would be no tolerance for "any political slogans."
Hajj, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, includes a series of rituals in Mecca and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia, taking several days to complete. The peak will occur on Saturday with a day-long prayer at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.
Pilgrims wearing white Ihram garments have been circling the Kaaba in large numbers for several days. Some have waited for years to have the opportunity to perform the rituals, with permits allocated by Saudi authorities based on quotas for each country. As has been the case for several years, this gathering takes place during the hot Saudi summer, with officials expecting the average temperature to reach 44 degrees Celsius.
Saudi Health Ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Abdali stated that more than ten thousand cases of heat-related illnesses were recorded last year during Hajj, including 10 percent from heat strokes, which are the most severe forms.
Heat mitigation measures this year include covering the roads used by worshippers with a white material, which reduces the asphalt temperature by 20 percent, according to authorities. Additionally, there are misters installed in the central area, water distribution, umbrellas, advice from volunteer youth, and countless shopping centers allowing pilgrims to relax between prayers.
Pilgrims received a text message on Thursday urging them to "drink water regularly, more than 2 liters daily" and to "always carry a sun umbrella," warning that temperatures could rise to 48 degrees Celsius.
