Muslims start the Hajj against the backdrop of the devastating Israel-Hamas war

By SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Muslim pilgrims have converged on a vast tent camp in the desert near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, officially beginning the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Saudi officials say more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the city of Mecca so far on Friday. They expect the number to exceed last year’s, when more than 1.8 million people performed the Hajj. This year’s pilgrimage comes with the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, which has pushed the Middle East to the brink of regional conflict. The pilgrims stay in a desert camp, then move for a daylong vigil on Mount Arafat, a hill where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his final speech.