Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — Two days before the grand stand on Mount Arafat, marking the climax of the pilgrimage, as many as 1,838,339 pilgrims from outside have arrived in the Kingdom with an increase of six percent compared to the same period last year.

The Directorate General of Passports (Jawazat) has announced the completion of the arrival of the pilgrims from outside. They included a total of 6,300 pilgrims from 73 countries who were invited by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to be his guests and perform Haj.

According to the Jawazat, the pilgrims consisted of 969,726 men, accounting for about 53 percent and 868,613 women making 47 percent.

The Jawazat said a total of 1,725,455 pilgrims arrived by air, 95,634 by land and 17,250 by sea.

The total number of pilgrims who arrived in Madinah has so far reached 905,896, according to daily statistics issued by Hajj and Visit Committee in Madinah Region, Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

The statistical data showed that 897,587 pilgrims left Madinah heading for Makkah, while the total number of pilgrims remaining in Madinah until yesterday was 8,254.

Meanwhile, the first batch of 295 Yemeni pilgrims who are kins of the martyrs of the Decisive Storm and the Restoration of Hope military operations against the Houthis arrived in Makkah within the king's program for the Haj and Umrah.

About 1,000 Palestinian pilgrims who are guests of the king have also arrived in Makkah and were welcomed by officials from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance which is supervising the program.

The Ministry of Health has, for the second year, set up a mobile field hospital to the north of the Namirah mosque in Arafat to provide emergency medical services to the pilgrims.

The hospital has 11 beds consisting of two beds at the intensive care unit, four beds for confinement and five chairs for medical care in addition to other various medical equipment.