South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced an investigation into the unexpected arrival of 153 Palestinians from Gaza on a chartered plane. The group landed at OR Tambo International Airport but faced delays of over 10 hours as authorities flagged missing departure stamps in their passports.
Eventually, most passengers were allowed entry following intervention from a local charity and the government’s “empathy and compassion,” Ramaphosa said. The circumstances surrounding their departure from Gaza remain unclear.
Reports indicate the flight made a stop in Nairobi before reaching South Africa. Israeli authorities confirmed the travelers left Gaza after approval from a third country, though the country was not specified. The Palestinian embassy in South Africa criticized an “unregistered and misleading organization” for exploiting Gaza residents’ humanitarian needs, collecting money, and arranging irregular travel.
Of the 153 passengers, 23 continued to other destinations, while 130 were admitted into South Africa. Ramaphosa stressed that the government could not turn people away from a war-torn region and pledged a thorough investigation to clarify how the situation occurred.
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