JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – The South African government has launched a full-scale investigation into the “mysterious” arrival of 153 Palestinians from Gaza on a chartered flight that transited through Nairobi, Kenya. The incident, which unfolded on Thursday, November 13, 2025, has cast a spotlight on the desperate measures taken by those fleeing the conflict in Gaza and the logistical labyrinth they face.

The group, which included families with children and a nine-month pregnant woman, landed at Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport on Thursday morning aboard a Global Airways flight. However, they were held on the tarmac for approximately 12 hours after South Africa's Border Management Authority (BMA) denied them entry. BMA officials stated the passengers' passports lacked the requisite departure stamps from Israeli authorities, and they could not provide details of their accommodation or intended length of stay in South Africa.

The standoff ended late on Thursday night after the South African humanitarian organization, Gift of the Givers, intervened, offering to take full responsibility for the group's accommodation and welfare. Following this guarantee, 130 of the passengers were processed and granted 90-day visitor visas on humanitarian grounds. The remaining 23 passengers reportedly had onward tickets and have since travelled to other countries.

A Journey Shrouded in Secrecy

Details about the flight's organization remain murky. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the arrival as “mysterious” and confirmed an investigation is underway to understand the origins of the journey. “These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa told reporters on Friday, November 14. He added that the decision to admit them was based on “empathy and compassion” for people from a “war-torn country.”

The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa released a statement condemning the organizers of the flight. The embassy claimed the travel was arranged by “an unregistered and misleading organisation that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner.” While the embassy did not name the entity, an anonymous Israeli military official identified an organization called Al-Majd as having arranged the transport.

According to reports, the journey began with buses transporting the group from Gaza to the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they underwent Israeli security checks. They were then taken to Ramon Airport in Israel, where they boarded the charter flight to Nairobi and then onward to Johannesburg. Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated the residents left after a third country agreed to receive them, a policy under which about 40,000 people have reportedly left Gaza since the war began.

Implications for Kenya and the Region

The flight's transit through Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport raises significant questions for Kenyan authorities regarding aviation security and immigration protocols. It remains unclear what information was shared with Kenyan officials prior to the flight's arrival and departure. As of Friday evening, the Kenyan government had not issued a public statement on the matter. The incident highlights the potential for East African transport hubs to be used as transit points in complex international migration and humanitarian situations. This lack of clarity could have implications for regional security and diplomatic relations.

South Africa has historically been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, a position rooted in the African National Congress's historical ties with the Palestine Liberation Organization during the anti-apartheid struggle. This long-standing solidarity was a key factor in the government's decision to admit the group. The South African government recently filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel denies.

The humanitarian group Gift of the Givers, which is now caring for the 130 Palestinians, criticized the initial handling of the situation at the airport, describing the conditions on the plane as “dire” and “inhumane,” with passengers, including dehydrated children, left without food or water in extreme heat. The organization has called on President Ramaphosa to investigate the conduct of the border officials. For now, the 130 individuals have begun a new, uncertain chapter in South Africa, their arrival serving as a stark illustration of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the complex geopolitical currents it generates across Africa.