Over 150 Palestinian refugees finally disembark in South Africa after nine-hour airport ordeal
The group remained confined on the plane for approximately nine hours as South African authorities sought verification of their travel papers.
A group of around 160 Palestinian refugees finally set foot in South Africa on Thursday after a tense and emotionally draining wait at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
The refugees, many of whom are women and children, had fled escalating violence in Gaza and were initially transported on a Kenya Airways flight carrying roughly 100 passengers.
More To Read
- South Africa denounces Trump’s G20 boycott, calls genocide claims false
- Gazans continue heading home as ‘fragile ceasefire’ holds
- Türkiye issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza war
- Crimes against children in conflict surge to worst-ever level in 2024 - report
- Vodacom settles 17-year ‘Please Call Me’ dispute with former employee
- Surviving the next pandemic could depend on where you live
Their relief at arriving in a safer country was overshadowed by a long delay at the airport caused by missing travel documents and visas.
The group remained confined on the plane for approximately nine hours as South African authorities sought verification of their travel papers.
Gift of the Givers, a leading humanitarian organisation, described the ordeal as an unnecessary extension of the suffering these vulnerable individuals had already endured.
The organisation, as reported by SABC, highlighted that the absence of exit stamps on passports, reportedly withheld by Israeli authorities, added another layer of difficulty.
“Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of these poor people to exacerbate their suffering in a foreign country,” said Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers, explaining how this deliberate omission intensified the refugees’ distress.
Confined and uncertain about what awaited them on arrival, the refugees experienced heightened anxiety while waiting for bureaucratic processes to be resolved.
Eventually, intervention by South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) facilitated the safe entry of the refugees.
Gift of the Givers acknowledged the role played by Dirco’s Director-General Zane Dangor and Minister Ronald Lamola, noting that their actions helped ensure a humanitarian outcome.
“This is in keeping with South Africa’s policy of standing with Palestine,” the organisation said, underscoring the country’s longstanding political and humanitarian support.
The organisation also pointed out that Minister Lamola’s coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs to waive entry requirements was a key factor in allowing the refugees to disembark, though they noted that Home Affairs could have acted sooner in the spirit of humanitarian compassion.
With the refugees now on South African soil, Gift of the Givers, in partnership with other civil society groups, is preparing to provide essential support and relief to meet their immediate needs.
Top Stories Today
