RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held an annual reception for officials and dignitaries who are performing Hajj this year. The reception, held on behalf of King Salman at Mina Palace on Monday, was also attended by the Kingdom’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, several princes, senior scholars, senior GCC officials, ministers, the commanders of military sectors, and scouts who performed Hajj this year. The crown prince congratulated attendees on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha and prayed that God accept the rituals of the pilgrims and help them complete the pilgrimage in safety and with reassurance. “We thank God for honoring us with serving the Two Holy Mosques and the Holy Sites, taking care of those who visit them, and ensuring their security and safety. We are proud to continue carrying out this great duty, and we are making efforts and harnessing all capabilities to provide comfort for pilgrims from their arrival until their departure,” Prince Mohammed told the gathering. Talking about the war in Gaza, the crown prince said that “heinous crimes against our brothers in the Strip continue.” He stressed the necessity of immediately stopping the war and appealed to the international community to take all measures to ensure the protection of lives in Gaza. “We also stress the importance of implementing the resolutions recently issued by the UN Security Council regarding the proposal for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. “The Kingdom renews its call to the international community to recognize the independent state of Palestine, along 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital to enable the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights and achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace,” the crown prince said.