Hopes of Palestinian Muslims in Gaza travelling to Mecca for Hajj dashed by border closures

(23 May 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip - 21 May 2026 1. Various of displaced woman holding prayer beads while praying 2. Displaced man Soheil al-Kurdi sitting with his family inside tent 3. Various of al-Kurdi reading Quran 4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Soheil al-Kurdi, displaced Palestinian in Gaza: ”My sister and I were registered for Hajj (pilgrimage) at an agency in Khan Younis in 2023 and we received approval to travel for Hajj and completed all necessary procedures and we renewed our passports. We had hope to go perform Hajj and we were happy and eager to visit God’s holy place, but at that time the border crossing closed in the war. We weren’t able to leave. But we are hopeful to go to Hajj and visit god’s holy place.” 5. Various of al-Kurdi reading Quran 6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Soheil al-Kurdi, displaced Palestinian in Gaza: ”This war deprived us and many others from Hajj. Many groups of people were supposed to go to travel to Hajj over the past three years, but the crossing closure and this war deprived everyone from performing Hajj. I hope that they could open the crossing and let people leave for Hajj.” 7. Al-Kurdi sitting with his family inside tent 8. Various of hundreds of tents with displaced people STORYLINE: For many Palestinian Muslims in Gaza, hopes of travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage during next week’s Eid al-Adha have turned to disappointment due to the ongoing closure of border crossings. Millions of Muslims travel each year to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, taking part in shared rituals and worship in what many consider a once-in-a-lifetime spiritual journey. But for Palestinians in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire and closed border crossings are forcing many to miss yet another Hajj season. Soheil al-Kurdi, a 53-year-old displaced man from Rafah, had been approved to travel for Hajj with his sister in 2023. After renewing their passports and completing travel procedures, their plans were halted by the war and the closure of border crossings. He lives with his family in a tent in the Muwasi area of Khan Younis after being displaced nine times and losing his sister and son in the war and his four-story home in 2024. Trying to honour the spiritual significance of the Hajj season, he reads the Quran inside his tent, hoping he will soon travel for pilgrimage. "We are hopeful to go to Hajj and visit god’s holy place... Many groups of people were supposed to go for Hajj over the past three years, but the crossing closure and this war deprived everyone from performing Hajj,” he said. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...