South Africa has opened a formal investigation into the mysterious arrival of 153 Palestinians who were detained for nearly 12 hours aboard a charter aircraft at OR Tambo International Airport after landing without proper travel documentation. The incident, now drawing international attention, has raised questions about irregular migration routes out of Gaza and the security vulnerabilities surrounding their sudden appearance.
The group arrived on a Global Airways flight from Kenya on Thursday, though authorities say the Palestinians had no departure stamps, return tickets, or confirmed accommodation in South Africa. Border officials said none of the travellers requested asylum, prompting immigration teams to deny initial entry while attempting to verify their identities and intentions.
A pastor who was allowed briefly onto the aircraft described “disturbing” conditions. “It was excruciatingly hot. Children were sweating, screaming, crying, people were distressed and exhausted,” he told the SABC.
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers stepped in after learning of the Johannesburg airport incident, providing immediate support and temporary accommodation. Following hours of negotiations, 130 passengers were eventually admitted under South Africa’s standard 90-day visa exemption. The remaining 23 Palestinians had already boarded onward flights to various destinations.
Where the journey began remains unclear. Travel out of Israeli-blockaded Gaza or the occupied West Bank is severely restricted, making the group’s route, from Gaza to Kenya and then on to South Africa, highly unusual and difficult to trace.
President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the launch of a full investigation, describing the group’s arrival as “mysterious and deeply concerning”. He said South Africa had admitted the Palestinians “out of compassion”, but stressed that the circumstances required urgent clarification.
“These are people from Gaza who somehow ended up on a plane that passed through Nairobi and landed here,” Ramaphosa said. “We need to understand the origins of this journey, who arranged it, and why they were transported to South Africa.”
Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman said this was the second such flight to land in South Africa in the last two weeks. He suggested many of the Palestinian travellers may have been deceived during a desperate attempt to escape the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“They had no idea where they were being taken. Only in Kenya did they realise they were coming to South Africa,” Sooliman said. “Some passengers had legitimate visas for Canada, Australia or Malaysia.”
The Palestinian embassy in Pretoria confirmed that both recent flights were arranged by an “unregistered and misleading organisation” that allegedly exploited families in Gaza, took money from them, and facilitated irregular travel without legal safeguards.
The ordeal has reignited debate in South Africa over its strong support for Palestinian rights. The country, home to sub-Saharan Africa’s largest Jewish community, has repeatedly criticised Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2023. Civil society groups have long likened Palestinian struggles to South Africa’s own apartheid fight, leading to extensive grassroots solidarity campaigns.
However, the prolonged detention at OR Tambo and the lack of immediate information have led some citizens to question national security processes and the government’s handling of irregular arrivals.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said that none of the travellers applied for asylum, adding that their entry was approved only after authorities ensured they would not be left destitute or pose security risks.
“Once we were satisfied that the gaps in their travel plans would not leave them vulnerable, they were granted entry under the standard 90-day visa exemption,” he said.
As authorities work to uncover how the group left Gaza, who organised their travel, and whether additional flights are expected, officials say the investigation will continue, with all government agencies instructed to cooperate fully.
