Mohammed al-Aswal, head of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Companies in Gaza, said about 10,000 ci
· Rafah, Palestine
Mohammed al-Aswal, head of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Companies in Gaza, said about 10,000 citizens are registered on Hajj lists for the years 2023 to 2026, with priority given to winners of the 2023 lottery. He said around 400 of those registered in the 2023 lottery have died during the waiting years, and arrangements are under way to replace them with relatives. Al-Aswal said the continued closure of the Rafah crossing is preventing Gaza's pilgrims from leaving, despite Saudi Arabia's readiness to receive them and Egyptian efforts to facilitate their travel. He called for guarantees t