CAIRO, Egypt – More than 1,000 individuals tragically lost their lives during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, as scorching temperatures in the desert kingdom took a heavy toll on the faithful. Egyptian officials reported that over half of the deceased were from Egypt, with authorities revoking the licenses of 16 travel agencies for assisting unauthorized pilgrims in their journey to Saudi Arabia.

While Saudi Arabia has not officially commented on the deaths during the pilgrimage, it remains a mandatory religious duty for every capable Muslim to undertake at least once in their lifetime. The Egyptian government confirmed the deaths of 31 authorized pilgrims due to chronic illnesses during this year’s Hajj, with an additional 630 Egyptian pilgrims reported to have passed away, mostly in Mecca’s Al-Muaisem neighborhood.

As temperatures soared, many unauthorized pilgrims, including Egyptians, managed to reach the holy sites in and around Mecca, some even on foot, despite crackdowns by Saudi authorities that expelled tens of thousands of individuals. These pilgrims, lacking accommodations, suffered from the intense heat.

The government announced that the 16 travel agencies failed to provide adequate services for the pilgrims, facilitating illegal travel using visas that did not permit entry to Mecca. Officials from these agencies have been referred for investigation by the public prosecutor.

The fatalities included pilgrims from various countries, with Indonesia, India, and the United States also reporting deaths. The causes of death, although not independently verified, were attributed to the extreme heat by countries like Jordan and Tunisia.

The Hajj, a pillar of Islam and one of the largest religious congregations globally, witnessed a high death toll this year, indicating exceptional circumstances. With rising temperatures due to climate change posing a potential risk, safety measures and crowd control remain significant challenges for Saudi authorities during the annual pilgrimage.