Saudi Crown Prince Receives Eid Well-Wishers at Mina Palace During Hajj 2026

Mina, The Gulf Observer: Mohammed bin Salman received princes, senior officials, religious scholars and military commanders at Mina Palace on behalf of Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Wednesday as the Kingdom marked Eid Al-Adha during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, those extending Eid greetings at the Royal Court in Mina included princes, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, senior scholars and sheikhs, Gulf Cooperation Council officials, ministers, and commanders of military sectors and scout groups participating in Hajj operations.

During the reception, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman praised Saudi military, security and government personnel for their efforts in safeguarding pilgrims and ensuring the Kingdom’s security amid regional tensions.

“We thank all members of the military and security sectors, the dedicated employees across various government agencies, and the volunteers for their service to the pilgrims and for ensuring their safety and security,” the Crown Prince said.

He described serving the Two Holy Mosques and the holy sites as one of Saudi Arabia’s greatest honors and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to protecting its security and sovereignty.

The Crown Prince also extended Eid Al-Adha greetings to Saudi citizens, residents and pilgrims, praying for continued peace, stability and prosperity across the Islamic world.

Later, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al-Bassami, Director of Public Security and Chairman of the Hajj Security Committee, delivered remarks on behalf of the military sectors participating in Hajj operations.

He said that since its founding, Saudi Arabia has made service to the Two Holy Mosques a cornerstone of its mission, adding that the success of this year’s Hajj security plans had further strengthened safety and service standards for pilgrims.

Guests later greeted the Crown Prince and attended a banquet at Mina Palace.

The Eid reception coincided with Hajj 2026, which has drawn more than 1.7 million pilgrims from around the world, making it one of the largest annual religious gatherings globally.

Saudi authorities reported that pilgrim numbers increased by approximately two percent compared with last year, including more than 1.54 million pilgrims arriving from abroad and around 160,000 participating from within the Kingdom.

Officials credited expanded infrastructure projects, digital services and advanced crowd-management systems for improving pilgrim movement between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.

Authorities also expanded the Makkah Route Initiative this year, enabling pilgrims to complete immigration and customs procedures in their home countries before departure. Nearly 389,000 pilgrims benefited from the initiative, marking an increase of almost 24 percent from the previous year.

More than 441,000 personnel, including security forces, healthcare workers, transport coordinators and emergency response teams, were deployed to support Hajj operations and ensure pilgrim safety throughout the season.

Separately, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings with leaders across the Islamic world and prayed for continued peace, security and prosperity for Muslim nations, while also asking Allah to accept the good deeds of pilgrims during Hajj and Eid.