South Africa Investigates Arrival of 153 Palestinians on Chartered Flight

South African authorities are investigating the unexpected arrival of 153 Palestinians from Gaza who landed in Johannesburg on a chartered flight last Thursday. The passengers, lacking Israeli departure stamps in their passports, were held on the plane for approximately 12 hours before being permitted entry under a standard 90-day visa exemption.

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola expressed concerns over the circumstances, stating, "We are suspicious, as the South African government, about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane."

Reports indicate that the flight was organized by Al-Majd, a group described on its website as providing aid and rescue efforts to Muslim communities in conflict zones. The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa criticized the organization, alleging it exploited the humanitarian conditions in Gaza by collecting money from families and facilitating irregular travel.

The South African government is conducting an investigation into the incident to determine the motives behind the flight and the involvement of Al-Majd.