Over 160 Palestinian Refugees Finally Allowed Entry Into South Africa After 13-Hour Airport Standoff
More than 160 Palestinian refugees who fled Gaza have been granted entry into South Africa after spending over 13 hours inside a grounded aircraft at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The group arrived on Thursday on a chartered Global Airways flight from Nairobi, but authorities initially denied them entry over documentation concerns, resulting in a prolonged standoff involving multiple government departments and humanitarian organisations.
Global Airways, the Johannesburg-based charter operator responsible for the flight, said the passengers were declared inadmissible on arrival despite the airline having submitted the full passenger list and travel documentation 24 hours before departure, in line with standard immigration protocol. The airline later confirmed that all passengers were eventually allowed to disembark and proceed through immigration processing.
The passengers, all Palestinian nationals who left Gaza on November 12, travelled from Israel to Kenya, arriving in Nairobi in the early hours of November 13 before boarding the connecting charter to Johannesburg. Many of them had no confirmed final destination when they left Gaza and were not assured of entry into South Africa until late Thursday evening.
Related News
Trump’s 2013 Tweet on Obama and Iran Resurfaces Amid Fresh US–Israel Strikes
A 2013 social media post by former US President Donald Trump predicting that then-President Barack Obama would attack Iran has…
Conflicting Reports Emerge Over Alleged Death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Conflicting international media reports on Saturday claimed that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, may have been killed in a joint…
European Leaders Push Back Against Trump’s Tariff Threats Amid Escalating Greenland Dispute
European leaders have strongly rejected tariff threats issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump over Greenland, warning that such measures…
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers was present at the airport to provide food, medical assistance, and temporary accommodation to the exhausted refugees. The organisation described the passengers’ condition as dire, noting that many had fled active conflict only to endure more than half a day confined inside the aircraft without clarity on their fate.
“These people endured 13 hours onboard in inhumane conditions after fleeing a war zone,” Gift of the Givers said in a statement. The group added that several passengers plan to apply for asylum in South Africa, while others intend to continue to alternative destinations once their documentation is regularised.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, publicly thanked South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), particularly Director-General Zane Dangor and Minister Ronald Lamola, for intervening to resolve the matter. He described their actions as consistent with South Africa’s longstanding humanitarian and pro-Palestinian stance.
According to Sooliman, the documentation crisis stemmed from Israeli authorities’ refusal to stamp the refugees’ passports upon exit, effectively rendering them stateless when they arrived in South Africa. “Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of these poor people to exacerbate their suffering,” he said, adding that the situation required urgent compassionate intervention.
The refugees are now receiving emergency support as they begin the process of applying for asylum or transit clearance. Their arrival has also sparked mixed reactions online, with some observers praising South Africa’s humanitarian response, while others expressed concern over future social and security implications.
The South African government has not yet released a full official statement, but officials involved in the negotiations confirmed that necessary processes would continue in line with international refugee and asylum protocols.
The incident highlights ongoing global challenges facing displaced Palestinians and underscores South Africa’s evolving role in international humanitarian crises at a time when geopolitical tensions surrounding Gaza continue to escalate.