Saudi Arabia begins official registration of foreign pilgrims for Hajj 2024

Agencies
December 26, 2023

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Jeddah: Saudi Arabia has begun official registration of foreign pilgrims for Hajj 2024. “Muslim pilgrims from all over the world can now register along with their families for Hajj 1445/2024 through the Nusuk Hajj application under the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” the Center for International Communication (CIC), under the Ministry of Media revealed on Monday, December 24.

Pilgrims from the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania can apply for the pilgrimage through Nusuk Hajj application. 

More details about the registration can be had from hajj.nusuk.sa website.

Nusuk Hajj is the gateway to a journey of a lifetime. It is the one-stop-shop platform, overseen by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. It offers pilgrims a variety of Hajj packages offered by authorized service providers, ensuring a seamless lifetime spiritual experience.

The pilgrims can register their names through the website after creating their own personal account with giving an email address and select the current country of residence from the provided list, which includes all countries served for Hajj 2024.

Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is sacred and obligatory for every able adult Muslim. Just like the other important practices in Islam, Hajj comes with its own set of rituals to be followed diligently during this sacred journey.

It is noteworthy that the Hajj of 2023 was the first full-capacity annual pilgrimage in the post pandemic period. A total of 1,845,045 pilgrims, including 1,660,915 foreign pilgrims and 184,130 domestic pilgrims, performed last Hajj. Among them, the number of male pilgrims accounted for 969,694 while the number of female pilgrims reached 875,351. Pilgrims from Asian countries totaled 1,056,317, accounting for 63.5 percent while the number of pilgrims from Arab countries stood at 346,214, representing 21 percent of the total pilgrims.

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News Network
February 2,2025

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British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta says Israeli authorities considered the destruction of medical facilities and the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip as preliminary preparation for a plan of genocide in the besieged coastal territory.

Israel “placed the destruction of the healthcare system in Palestine at the core of its military doctrine from the beginning, in order to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable,” he said.

Abu Sitta stated that the occupying Israeli regime launched its onslaught against the Gaza Strip with a plan to destroy the entire healthcare system and its various components.

He added that “Israel did not only target buildings but also destroyed 33 out of 36 hospitals that were providing services throughout the region.”

The British-Palestinian surgeon continued that “Israel killed a thousand healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, and lab technicians to eliminate an entire generation of healthcare professionals.”

The doctor explained that the Israeli military destroyed the Gaza healthcare system by demolishing water treatment and sewage facilities. Additionally, it destroyed the homes of residents, leaving people more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Abu Sittah emphasized that Israel considers the destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza as a precursor to the genocide project.

 “I do not know of any war in modern history where the systematic destruction of the healthcare system was central to the doctrine of the warring armies, but the destruction of the healthcare system played a pivotal role in disrupting life in Gaza from Israel’s perspective,” he stated.

The British-Palestinian doctor underlined the need to prosecute Israeli officials, soldiers, and politicians in The Hague for their destruction of the healthcare system in Gaza.

“Otherwise, every future war will follow the model of Gaza, as the destruction of the healthcare system played a central role in the management of the war,” Abu Sittah pointed out.

He stated that Interpol should issue arrest warrants against Israeli soldiers, leaders, and politicians, stressing that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should adopt the same measure.

The British-Palestinian surgeon emphasized that world countries, especially in the West, should arrest Israeli soldiers and politicians once they travel there.

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News Network
February 11,2025

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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has warned that Israel's military offensive in the West Bank has escalated forced displacement of Palestinians at an alarming level, impacting over 76,000 people in the area.

In a statement released on Monday, the agency reported that Israel's so-called “Iron Wall” military raid has resulted in the near-complete evacuation of several key refugee camps.

UNRWA expressed deep concern over the forced displacement of the communities, describing the situation as "escalating at an alarming pace" due to increasingly coercive and dangerous living conditions.

“The use of air strikes, armored bulldozers, controlled detonations, and advanced weaponry by the Israeli forces has become commonplace,” UNRWA stated, adding that these methods appear to be a spillover from the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The agency reiterated that "civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected at all times and that collective punishment is never acceptable."

Since January 21, the Israeli regime has carried out military operations in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tammun in the northern West Bank, killing over 30 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The operation, which began in the Jenin refugee camp, has now reached its third week, marking the longest military campaign in the West Bank since the second Intifada.

UNRWA reported that the offensive has spread to the Tulkarm, Nur Shams, and Far’a refugee camps, which collectively house approximately 76,600 Palestinian refugees.

Israeli forces are reportedly intensifying their operations in the occupied West Bank, particularly in Jenin, where local sources say the occupation forces are targeting Palestinian residents and their property, leading to violent confrontations with Palestinian fighters.

Eyewitnesses have reported hearing explosions in the eastern neighborhoods of Jenin, while Israeli forces have prevented ambulances from accessing the area. Video footage has emerged showing Israeli bulldozers destroying paved roads in the region.

The grave situation has been compounded by the Israeli military's actions in surrounding towns, such as Jaba, where three individuals were detained during a Monday incursion.

The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stated that their fighters are actively confronting Israeli forces in the nearby Tulkarm and Nur Shams refugee camps.

UNRWA's updates indicate that the ongoing offensive has already displaced around 40,000 individuals in the West Bank, contributing to a humanitarian crisis that has left thousands without shelter or basic necessities.

Under Israel’s parliament (Knesset) law enacted on January 30, UNRWA no longer has any contact with the Israeli authorities, hindering the ability to address critical issues related to civilian suffering and the urgent need for humanitarian aid.

Since the onset of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel has significantly increased its violence in the West Bank, killing more than 900 Palestinians in the occupied territory.

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News Network
February 12,2025

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The family of Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, says he has been subjected to “severe torture and mistreatment” following his arrest by Israeli forces in late December.

Abu Safiya’s family, citing his lawyer, said in a post on X on Wednesday that he endured harsh conditions in the first days of his detention in Israeli jails and was held in solitary confinement for 24 days before being transferred to Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, where he continues to face poor treatment.

According to Abu Safiya's family, he suffers from chronic high blood pressure and an enlarged heart muscle.

His family added that although Abu Safiya is currently receiving treatment, he is only given one meal per day which is "inadequate” and of very poor quality.

“Regarding his legal case, it is clean, and there are no charges against him,” his family said, adding that all accusations attributed to him have been denied due to lack of evidence and the case is clear.

His family noted that Abu Safiya’s release could be imminent in the coming stages of the prisoner exchange, as the Israeli prosecutors have not filed any charges.

Abu Safiya’s family further called on the international community to pressure Israel to provide adequate food and medicine for him and secure his immediate release.

In late December, Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital, forcing patients and medical staff to leave while detaining the rest.

Dr. Abu Safiya, 51, was among those taken for questioning by the Israeli military over alleged links to the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

He has already called for international intervention to secure his release and that of all detained medical personnel, stressing that healthcare workers must be protected, their rights upheld, and their immediate release ensured. 

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