South Africa investigates mystery of a plane that arrived with more than 150 Palestinians from Gaza
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was an investigation to uncover how the Palestinians came to South Africa via a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.
There is verified reporting about 153 Palestinians entering South Africa via a plane that stopped over in Nairobi, Kenya, and there are a number of confusing and concerning details.
What Actually Happened
- Chartered Flight & Arrival
A chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The flight transited via Nairobi, Kenya. According to the South African government, the plane came from Kenya, and their immigration officials raised issues on arrival.
- Immigration Red Flags
On arrival, South African Border Management Authority (BMA) flagged that many of the passengers did not have the “customary departure stamps” in their passports (i.e., no Israeli exit stamp). They also didn’t provide return tickets or clear addresses of where they’d stay in South Africa. Initially, they were not allowed off the plane. They waited on the tarmac for ~12 hours.
- Why They Were Ultimately Allowed In
The Gift of the Givers, a South African humanitarian NGO, promised to provide accommodation for them. The South African government then allowed them in on a 90-day visa exemption, which applies to Palestinian passport-holders. According to Home Affairs, when they verified the situation, they concluded these people wouldn’t be left destitute even though there were formal and procedural gaps. By that time, 23 of the 153 had already left for other destinations; the rest (130) remained under care.
- Asylum Status
According to South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, none of the 153 applied for formal asylum, at least at the time of the initial processing. They are being processed under the visa-exempt entry, not as asylum-seekers (according to the government).
- Concerns & Investigation
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said an investigation is underway into how this flight was arranged, who organized it, and why the documentation was irregular. The Palestinian embassy in South Africa claims the flight was organized by an “unregistered and misleading” group, alleging exploitation of vulnerable Gazans.
Some activists (and the humanitarian group) suggest this might be part of a broader, more sinister pattern — that people are being “flushed out” of Gaza. There’s also a claim (from an Israeli military source) that the organizing group was Al-Majd, and that Israel escorted buses from Gaza to a crossing, then to Ramon Airport.
A passenger said (via media) that they were told very little about their destination in advance.
- Response from Palestinian Side
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry expressed gratitude to South Africa for accepting these people, even though they lacked typical travel documentation. However, they also criticized the group that allegedly arranged the trip, saying it “exploited … desperate conditions” in Gaza.
Why This Is a Big Deal / Why People Are Alarmed
Irregular Documentation: The lack of exit stamps suggests these people may not have gone through the “normal” exit process out of Gaza via Israel, raising legal and humanitarian questions.
Possible Exploitation: If true, the claims that an unregistered group is organizing such flights could point to exploitation of vulnerable people in Gaza.
Political Implications: Some see this as part of a larger pattern — possibly even “ethnic cleansing” (phrasing used by some) — though that’s a very serious allegation and is part of the debate now.
Humanitarian vs Immigration Law: South Africa is trying to balance its humanitarian impulses (especially given its political history and stance on Palestine) with its immigration laws.
Key Unknowns / What We Don’t Yet Know
Exactly who financed and organized the flight — beyond the claims about “Al-Majd” or other groups.
Whether this is a one-off or part of a broader, systematic effort.
How many of the people will stay beyond the 90 days, or whether some of them will apply for asylum later.
What role (if any) Israel officially played in facilitating their move (beyond the anecdotal reports / accusations).
Further concerns:
This is not just a normal refugee flight. There are enough red flags (passport stamps, unclear documentation, third-party organizing) that many governments and NGOs are investigating.
It could represent a humanitarian evacuation, but it’s being framed by some as something more coordinated or politically significant.
South Africa is walking a tight line — it has a pro-Palestine political posture, but also legal and security obligations.
The involvement of a humanitarian NGO (Gift of the Givers) was crucial in getting many of them off the plane and into accommodation — without that, things might have gone very differently.
Shadowy operation
The secretive nature of the flight raised fears among rights groups that it marked an attempt by the Israeli government to push Palestinians from Gaza.
Israel’s foreign ministry referred questions to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority responsible for implementing civilian policies in the Palestinian territories. It said the Palestinians on the charter plane left the Gaza Strip after it received approval from a third country to receive them as part of an Israeli government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave. It didn’t name the third country.
Around 40,000 people have left Gaza since the start of the war under the policy.
Israel’s government had embraced a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians — a plan rights groups said would amount to ethnic cleansing. At the time, Trump said they would not be allowed to return.