South Africa probes “mysterious” flight carrying 153 Palestinians without proper documents

After more than 10 hours on the tarmac, officials granted the passengers a 90-day visa exemption for 153 Palestinian refugees. (Photo/TRT World)

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday that authorities are investigating how a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinian refugees entered the country without the required documentation, calling the circumstances “mysterious.”

“These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa told reporters, saying the intelligence agency and Home Affairs were probing the incident.

The group arrived on Thursday at OR Tambo International Airport after transiting through Kenya, but were initially denied entry because they failed mandatory interviews and many lacked departure stamps in their passports.

After more than 10 hours on the tarmac, officials granted the passengers a 90-day visa exemption, though 23 had already taken onward flights before clearance was issued.

The episode sparked public outrage in South Africa, long known for its strong support of Palestinian rights.

“Families were exploited”

The Border Management Authority said the absence of exit stamps, return tickets, and accommodation details raised immediate concerns.

The Palestinian Embassy in Pretoria said the group travelled from Gaza “via Ramon Airport through Nairobi” without any prior coordination and blamed an “unregistered and misleading organization.”

It accused the group of exploiting Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, taking money from families, arranging irregular travel, and then abandoning responsibility when complications arose.

“Israel facilitated the transfer”

Imtiaz Sooliman, head of the Gift of the Givers humanitarian organisation, told SABC the situation appeared “sinister,” alleging Israel was coordinating such flights as part of an effort to push Palestinians out of Gaza.

He said refugees paid high fees to intermediaries and were moved to the Ramon military base before being flown abroad.

According to the BBC, Israel’s military liaison body Cogat said the refugees left Gaza after it received “approval from a third country,” without naming the country.

One passenger, Loay Abu Saif, told Al Jazeera that Israel facilitated the transfer and that he and his family did not know their destination. He described the more-than-24-hour journey as a “trip of suffering.”

He said the organisers required valid Palestinian documents, Israeli security clearance, and payment of $1,400–$2,000 per person, and instructed families to bring no belongings apart from paperwork.

The group was bused through Rafah to Karem Abu Salem before being taken to Ramon Airport, where passports were not stamped.

Thursday’s arrival was the second flight of Palestinians fleeing the war in Gaza to reach South Africa; the first brought 176 people last month.

Source: TRT World