Hajj Heatwave Claims Over 1,000 Lives

Around 600 Egyptians have died during the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca due to extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 51 degrees Celsius. Most fatalities were among unregistered pilgrims lacking access to air-conditioned facilities. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has ordered a crisis unit to investigate the deaths, and Egypt is coordinating with Saudi authorities to account for the dead and missing. Other countries have also reported significant fatalities among their pilgrims.