South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a full investigation into the unexpected arrival of a chartered aircraft carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza, describing the circumstances surrounding the flight as “mysterious.”
The group landed at OR Tambo International Airport but remained confined to the plane for more than 10 hours after authorities discovered they lacked the usual departure stamps in their passports. Most were later allowed into the country after the intervention of a local humanitarian organisation and what Ramaphosa described as the government’s sense of “empathy and compassion.”
Details about their departure from Gaza, and how they were placed on the chartered flight, remain unclear. South Africa has remained a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause throughout the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
According to Ramaphosa, the Palestinians “somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi” before arriving in Johannesburg. Israeli military body Cogat, which manages Gaza’s crossings, said the group left the territory with approval from a third country, though it did not specify which one.
The Palestinian embassy in South Africa stated that the travellers departed from Israel’s Ramon Airport and flew via Nairobi without prior coordination. The embassy accused an “unregistered and misleading organisation” of exploiting the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza by charging families and facilitating irregular travel.
Of the 153 arrivals, 23 continued to other destinations, leaving 130 who were eventually admitted into South Africa.
Speaking at an event in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa said the home affairs minister alerted him to the developing situation. He insisted that South Africa could not turn the group away, noting that they came from a country ravaged by war and instability.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber explained that, although Palestinian passport holders qualify for visa-free entry for up to 90 days, the absence of departure stamps, return tickets or accommodation details initially triggered immigration concerns. Once officials verified that the travellers were not attempting to claim asylum, and their accommodation was confirmed, entry was granted. All currently hold valid passports, and none have applied for asylum.
South African charity Gift of the Givers has offered housing and support for the group. The organisation has also called for Ramaphosa to investigate the home affairs ministry and border officials for what it described as “humiliating” treatment, including hours of waiting on the tarmac and being denied food.
Civil society groups have demanded a broader inquiry to determine the conditions the Palestinians fled in Gaza and the exact route taken by the aircraft. One traveller told local television he felt immense relief to be in South Africa, calling it a nation of “peace, laws and justice,” after surviving two years of conflict.
South Africa has long expressed strong solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for statehood, dating back to the early 1990s when Nelson Mandela publicly pledged support for their cause. Large pro-Palestinian demonstrations have taken place across the country since the Gaza conflict escalated, though smaller pro-Israel rallies have also been held.
In 2023, South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice—an accusation Israel has firmly rejected as baseless.