Pilgrims kick off hajj as Mideast peace deal hangs in the balance

MECCA, Saudi Arabia – Over 1.5 million Muslims began filling a vast tent city in the holy city of Mecca on Monday for an annual hajj pilgrimage carried out against the backdrop of hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East. The white-robed pilgrims on buses or on foot arrived at the sprawling encampment in Mina after performing the “tawaf” — walking seven times around the Kaaba, the giant black cube at Mecca’s Grand Mosque. READ: With ice cream and giant fans, hajj pilgrims beat heat As pilgrims arrived in Mina in waves, temperatures hit 45℃ in the […]... Keep on reading: Pilgrims kick off hajj as Mideast peace deal hangs in the balance

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