Overview
- A charter carrying 153 Palestinians landed in Johannesburg last week, with passengers held on the aircraft for over 12 hours before 130 received 90‑day visas and 23 took onward flights.
- Foreign minister Ronald Lamola called the arrivals suspect and said they indicate a manifest intention to remove Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, adding Pretoria does not want further such flights.
- Gift of the Givers is providing housing and support after border authorities released the group, while attempts by reporters to reach the organiser Al‑Majd have failed.
- Passengers and local activists say travelers paid about $2,000 each to Al‑Majd for advertised evacuations, crossed via Kerem Shalom, and were told to leave belongings behind before routing Eilat–Nairobi–Johannesburg.
- Israeli authorities told AFP the departures proceeded with approval from an unnamed third country, as South Africa opens inquiries into the circumstances of the flights.