South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has announced an investigation into the “mysterious” arrival of a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza into the country.
The group landed at OR Tambo International Airport but were initially denied entry, remaining on the plane for more than 10 hours due to missing “customary departure stamps in their passports,” according to local authorities. Most were eventually allowed to enter following intervention from a local charity and because of the government’s “empathy [and] compassion,” Ramaphosa said.
The details surrounding their departure from Gaza and travel to South Africa remain unclear.
South Africa has consistently shown strong support for the Palestinian cause during the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.
Speaking in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said the group “somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi” and arrived in South Africa, according to News24.
Israel’s military authority, Cogat, which oversees Gaza’s crossings, stated, “The residents left the Gaza Strip after Cogat received approval from a third country to receive them,” without specifying which country.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian embassy in South Africa claimed the group departed Israel’s Ramon Airport and traveled via Nairobi “without any prior note or coordination.” The embassy added that “an unregistered and misleading organization [had] exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner.”
The BBC has reached out to the Kenyan government for comment.
Of the 153 Palestinians, 23 continued on to other destinations, leaving 130 admitted into South Africa, authorities said.
Ramaphosa, briefed on the situation by the home affairs minister, told reporters: “We cannot turn them back. Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country.”
He added that the government would conduct a “proper evaluation” and provide updates to the public on “what is happening and how this matter came to be where it is,” according to SABC.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber explained that Palestinian passport holders are normally eligible for 90-day visa-free entry.
However, missing departure stamps, return tickets, or accommodation details initially led to their refusal.
Once authorities verified that the gaps “did not indicate that the travellers wished to apply for asylum” and confirmed their accommodation, entry was granted. Schreiber said, “All of the travellers are in possession of valid passports and, at present, none of them have applied for asylum.”
The South African charity Gift of the Givers has offered accommodation to the group.
Civil society groups in the country have called for investigations into the circumstances of the Palestinians’ flight from Gaza and the plane’s exact route.
One Palestinian told local eNCA TV of his relief at being in South Africa, calling it a nation of “peace, laws and justice.” He said, “We came from Gaza where we’ve faced death on daily basis. We have survived a war of two years and we are lucky to be here,” speaking about fleeing with his wife and two children.
Gift of the Givers has urged Ramaphosa to investigate the home affairs ministry and border authority over the “humiliation they’ve caused” the Palestinians.
Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said the group endured forced waiting on the tarmac, were denied food, and were subjected to “every excuse in the book to prevent these passengers from disembarking.”
South Africa has long criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The country’s sympathy for Palestinian independence dates back decades, particularly when Nelson Mandela pledged support in the early 1990s.
Since the current conflict began, large pro-Palestinian marches have taken place across South Africa, alongside smaller pro-Israel rallies. The country is home to the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly rejected the claim, calling it “baseless.”
