South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has initiated an investigation into the unexpected arrival of 153 Palestinians from Gaza who landed in the country on a chartered flight. The group faced significant delays at OR Tambo International Airport as they were initially denied entry due to missing departure stamps in their passports, leaving them stranded on the plane for over 10 hours.
Following intervention from local charities and an expression of empathy from the government, most of the individuals were eventually allowed to enter. However, the circumstances surrounding their travel from Gaza remain ambiguous.
President Ramaphosa stated that 'even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country.' He underscored the necessity of conducting an in-depth evaluation to understand the situation thoroughly.
The group's departure from Gaza was orchestrated without prior note or coordination, as per complaints made by the Palestinian embassy in South Africa, indicating a lack of communication surrounding their journey.
Subsequently, civil societies in South Africa have called for an in-depth investigation into the ordeal faced by the Palestinians, as a former passenger described the grim conditions they fled from while expressing relief to be in a country perceived as a sanctuary.
As tensions between Israel and Hamas persist, South Africa's humanitarian stance towards the Palestinian people remains firm, reflecting a long-standing solidarity that dates back to the anti-apartheid movement led by figures like Nelson Mandela.
