🔗 Share this article The South African government to Examine Puzzling Landing of Plane Transporting Palestinian Nationals from Gaza Roughly 23 passengers have since moved on to other places, government representatives report South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that an inquiry will be initiated into the puzzling arrival of a leased jet carrying 153 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into the country. Initial Admission Denial The travelers landed at OR Tambo International Airport but were originally blocked from entering and were stuck in the jet for in excess of 10 hours as they "did not have the customary passport endorsements in their travel documents", local authorities stated. Most were ultimately permitted to enter after assistance from a domestic humanitarian organization and because of the leadership's "compassion [and] sympathy", Ramaphosa stated. The particulars of their exit from the Gaza Strip and journey to the nation remain unclear. International Background South Africa has maintained strong support for the Palestinian cause during the hostilities between the Hamas organization and the Israeli government in the Gaza Strip. Ramaphosa commented the travelers "through unknown means puzzlingly were boarded a aircraft that passed by Nairobi" and continued to the country. "These individuals left the Gaza territory after securing approval from a foreign nation to receive them," announced an government agency that oversees Gaza's border points. Embassy Statement Per the diplomatic mission in South Africa, the group departed from Israel's Ramon Airport and traveled to the country via the Kenya's main city, "without any previous coordination or planning". A declaration from the embassy claimed "an unauthorized and false organization [had] taken advantage of the devastating circumstances of our citizens in the Gaza Strip, deceived households, received funds from them, and facilitated their travel in an unorthodox and careless fashion". Latest Status From the 153 travelers, 23 succeeded to continue to other locations, leaving 130 who were granted entry into the country, national representatives say. Ramaphosa, talking during an event in Johannesburg, mentioned he was made aware of the ongoing situation by the interior official. In reply, the leader said "we cannot turn them back", according to domestic news. "Although they are without the necessary papers and documents, these are people from a strife-torn, a violence-plagued country," he remarked. Government Response The leader also told reporters the country's leadership would perform a "proper evaluation" of the matter and inform the people on "current developments and the manner in which this matter came to be in its current state", according to national media. Government Representative Leon Schreiber stated that while individuals with Palestinian documents were eligible for 90-day no-visa admission to the nation, the absence of departure stamps, return tickets or accommodation addresses in some of the travellers' documentation caused the original refusal to let them into the country. When it was established that the lack of this data "did not suggest that the travellers intended to request refugee status" and their lodging was confirmed, they were permitted to enter. "All of the travellers are in holding of current passports and, now, zero of them have sought asylum," he stated. Aid Response Local humanitarian organization has said it will supply the travelers with lodging in the nation. Civil societies in the nation have demanded investigations into the circumstances the Palestinian nationals had fled in the Gaza Strip and the specific journey of the plane. A single of the Palestinian nationals who spoke to domestic television voiced his relief to be in the country, portraying it as a land of "harmony, laws and fairness". "We arrived from Gaza where we've faced danger on regularly. We have lived through a hostilities of an extended period and we are fortunate to be in South Africa," said one man who had escaped with his wife and two children. Criticism and Requests for Accountability The humanitarian organization has subsequently demanded Ramaphosa to examine the interior department and customs service for the "humiliation they've caused" the Palestinian nationals. The organization's founder said this treatment included being forced to stay for an extended period on the runway at the terminal, being denied food supplied by the group and "using various justifications in the manual to prevent these passengers from leaving the plane". Traditional Advocacy The country has been highly critical of Israel's defense actions in the Gaza Strip. The nation's support for the Palestinian fight for an independent state dates back decades, particularly the early 1990s when national hero Nelson Mandela pledged backing for the Palestinian struggle. Large in favor of Palestinian rights demonstrations have been held throughout the country since the hostilities began. Smaller in favor of Israeli policies demonstrations and events have been held in the state, which hosts the most significant Jewish community in the continent. In 2023, the country's leadership filed a lawsuit against the nation with the global judicial body, alleging it of genocide in the Gaza Strip. The nation has strongly rejected the accusation, labeling it "without foundation".