Gaza Muslims Blocked from Hajj for Third Consecutive Year

Gaza Muslims Blocked from Hajj for Third Consecutive Year
——————————————-
Palestinians in Gaza have been prevented from performing Hajj for the third consecutive year, as border restrictions continue to block most travel from the enclave.

Palestinians in Gaza are facing another year of heartbreak as they remain unable to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam.

According to the report, Israel’s continued closure and control of Gaza’s crossings have made ordinary travel nearly impossible, including travel for religious pilgrimage, study, and work. Although the Rafah crossing partially reopened in February, passage has largely been limited to patients needing medical treatment abroad.

Gaza’s Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said more than 10,000 citizens have been prevented from performing Hajj over the past three years due to the shutdown of the Rafah crossing. The ministry also said at least 71 people who had previously won official Hajj places died during the war before they were able to perform the pilgrimage.

The crisis has also devastated Gaza’s Hajj and Umrah travel sector. A study cited in the report said all 78 licensed travel companies in the sector have collapsed, with most offices damaged or destroyed. Losses were estimated at more than $4 million, while frozen funds held by external agents added millions more in financial damage.

Before the war, Gaza’s Hajj and Umrah sector contributed at least $12 million annually to the local economy and supported more than 1,500 direct and indirect workers. Its collapse has further worsened Gaza’s already severe economic and humanitarian crisis.

Officials in Gaza’s Waqf Ministry said they could not organize the Hajj season without guarantees that the crossings would open, because the pilgrimage requires early arrangements for housing, transport, and travel. The ministry appealed to the international community, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to intervene and separate the religious pilgrimage from political calculations.