For third year in a row, Israel blocks Hajj pilgrimage for Gaza Muslims
Summary
For the third year in a row, Israel has blocked Muslims from Gaza from traveling to perform the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. The Israeli war and ongoing blockade have destroyed Gaza’s travel sector, causing great economic harm and preventing thousands from fulfilling their religious duty.Key Facts
- Around 3,000 Palestinians from Gaza were scheduled for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage but were blocked by Israel.
- Israel controls entry and exit from Gaza, limiting travel mainly to medical cases at the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
- Gaza has been under an Israeli land, air, and sea blockade since 2007.
- At least 72,775 Palestinians have died in the current war, and much of Gaza has been destroyed.
- Over 10,000 Gaza residents have been prevented from performing Hajj in the past three years.
- The local Hajj and Umrah travel industry in Gaza has collapsed, with all 78 licensed travel companies destroyed or damaged.
- The sector previously contributed $12 million annually to Gaza’s economy and employed over 1,500 people.
- The economic damage totals millions of dollars in lost capital and frozen funds abroad, harming many workers.
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