South African authorities have come under fire after detaining more than 150 Palestinian passengers—including a woman nine months pregnant—on a charter flight for 12 hours because of problems with their travel documents. The passengers arrived at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport from Nairobi, Kenya, and were denied entry. According to the South African Border Management Authority, the Palestinians lacked exit stamps from Israeli authorities and could not provide details about the length of their intended stay or local addresses.
Pastor Nigel Branken, who met the travelers, described the conditions on the plane as “appalling” and “unbearable,” noting that babies and children were suffering in the heat. After intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the 153 passengers—many of them families with children—were finally allowed to leave the aircraft on Thursday night. A local non‑governmental organization, Gift of the Givers, offered accommodation for those displaced.
Since the incident, 23 of the passengers have traveled onward to other countries, while 130 remain in South Africa. The group is believed to have come from war‑torn Gaza, though it is unclear how the charter flight was arranged or how they managed to leave Israel without proper documentation. Many now intend to seek asylum in South Africa, a country that has historically supported the Palestinian cause.
The handling of the travelers has provoked widespread anger and criticism of the authorities, highlighting the broader plight of Palestinian refugees and the difficulties they face in securing safety and protection. As the situation develops, observers are watching to see how the South African government will respond to the influx of asylum seekers and address international concerns.
Comments are closed for this story.