Egyptian pilgrims will enjoy new privileges this year, including having their designated area in Arafat increased by a kilometer and being provided accommodation in 4- and 5-star hotels in Medina, said Assistant Interior Minister for Administrative Affairs and chief executive of the Egyptian pilgrimage mission Major General Sayyed Maher.
Head of the religious tourism committee Basel al-Sisi told Al-Masry Al-Youm that 25,000 visas had been issued for the tourism class pilgrims by Monday, out of over 29,000 visas that have been issued for pilgrims in Egypt.
There are no epidemic diseases or serious medical cases among Egyptian pilgrims this year, said Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry.
The first group of pilgrims coming from the Gaza Strip departed from the Rafah Crossing heading for Saudi Arabia Monday.
Khaled al-Shaer, director for the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, said Egyptian authorities opened the crossing for Palestinian pilgrims Monday morning for three days.
There were 800 pilgrims who departed on Monday, out of a total of 2,450 pilgrims from Gaza Strip, he added.
Hundreds of passengers who plan to work in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season, meanwhile, have been stuck at the port of Safaga for the third consecutive day due to overbooking.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
