- Despite the heat-related deaths, Saudi Health Minister Fahd al-Jalajel declared the 2024 hajj management a success
Over 1,300 pilgrims died while performing Hajj this year,amid scorching temperatures, with the majority of victims being unauthorized pilgrims without official permits, Saudi Health Minister Fahad bin Abdurrahman al-Jalajel said on Sunday
“Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301, with 83% being unauthorised to perform hajj and having walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort,” the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
According to a recent count by Agence France-Presse, based on official diplomatic statements, the death toll has exceeded 1,100, with Egyptian nationals accounting for 658 of these fatalities, including 630 unauthorized pilgrims.
According to The Guardian, Riyadh had not publicly commented on the deaths or provided its own toll until Sunday. However, a senior Saudi official reported a death toll of 577 on the two most crowded days of the hajj pilgrimage, June 15 and 16, which included the gathering on Mount Arafat for prayers in extreme heat and the “stoning of the devil” ritual in Mina.
Despite the heat-related deaths, Saudi Health Minister Fahd al-Jalajel declared the 2024 hajj management a success and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). He acknowledged efforts to raise awareness about the risks of extreme heat and offered prayers for the departed, seeking Allah’s forgiveness and mercy.
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