Certainly! Here’s a rewritten version: **Massive Gathering of Shiite Muslim Pilgrims Takes Place in Iraq** Millions of Shiite Muslim pilgrims have converged in Iraq for a significant religious event, marking one of the largest gatherings of its kind. The pilgrimage, which holds deep spiritual significance, sees devotees from across the globe journeying to Iraq to honor their faith and participate in rituals. The event underscores the unity and devotion within the Shiite Muslim community as they come together for this annual tradition.

Palestinian flags were prominently displayed during this year's Arbaeen commemorations in Karbala, highlighting solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

 More than 21 million Shiite Muslims participated in this year's Arbaeen pilgrimage in Iraq, which culminated on Sunday with attendees displaying solidarity with Gaza. Arbaeen, meaning "forty" in Arabic, marks the 40th day of mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and a key figure in Shiite Islam. It is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, particularly significant for Shiites, who form the majority in Iraq and Iran.

Karbala, where Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas are interred in two grand mausoleums, becomes the focal point of the Shiite community during this period. Pilgrims express their grief openly, mourning Hussein, who was martyred in 680 during a battle in Karbala against the Umayyad caliph Yazid.

This year, the Arbaeen events featured notable displays of Palestinian flags, as reported by AFP photographers, in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The Abbas mausoleum administration, responsible for counting attendees, reported that the total number of pilgrims reached 21,480,525, including approximately 3.5 million Iranians, according to official figures from Tehran.

Mohammed al-Tamimi, a 32-year-old pilgrim, told AFPTV that the Palestinian flags among the pilgrims were "in support of our brothers in Palestine and in response to the Zionists, saying that Muslims stand as one against the Zionist actions and against the crimes taking place in Gaza."

Last year, the Arbaeen pilgrimage attracted around 22 million pilgrims, with Iran providing the most foreign visitors, about four million.

The war in Gaza was ignited by Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in 1,199 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel's subsequent military campaign has caused at least 40,405 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, with the UN rights office indicating that most of the casualties are women and children.