Johannesburg authorities are under fire for detaining over 150 Palestinian travelers, including families with young children and a woman in advanced pregnancy, aboard an aircraft for approximately half a day due to documentation concerns.
According to official statements, the charter flight arrived at OR Tambo International Airport following a transit stop in Nairobi. Immigration officials prevented the passengers from disembarking after identifying irregularities in their paperwork, including missing Israeli exit stamps and incomplete South African stay details.
A religious leader permitted to board the stationary aircraft described severe conditions inside the cabin. “The heat was unbearable,” he reported. “Young children were distressed, crying and perspiring heavily in the confined space.”
The situation was resolved following intervention by national authorities and a humanitarian organization that provided temporary accommodation. Most passengers remain in the country, with approximately two dozen having continued to other destinations.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism in a nation historically supportive of Palestinian rights. The religious leader emphasized that the treatment contradicted constitutional protections, stating, “Our laws guarantee basic rights, including the opportunity to seek asylum. These individuals should have been allowed to enter the terminal building at minimum.”
This marks the second such arrival from conflict-affected Gaza in recent weeks, though the organization behind these charter flights remains unclear. Many passengers reportedly intend to seek refugee status, though questions persist about their departure circumstances given the documentation issues noted by officials.
