South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered an investigation into the "mysterious" arrival of a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza. The group landed at OR Tambo International Airport but was kept on board for more than 10 hours because they "did not have the customary departure stamps in their passports". Most were later admitted after intervention from a local charity and what Ramaphosa called government "empathy [and] compassion".

How they left Gaza and reached South Africa remains unclear. Ramaphosa said they "somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi". Israel’s Cogat authority said: "The residents left the Gaza Strip after Cogat received approval from a third country to receive them." The Palestinian embassy said they travelled from Israel’s Ramon Airport via Nairobi "without any prior note or coordination" and accused "an unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions… deceived families, collected money… and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner".

Of the 153, 23 continued to other destinations and 130 were admitted. Ramaphosa said "we cannot turn them back" even without the necessary documents, as they were fleeing a "war-torn" region. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the lack of stamps, return tickets and accommodation details prompted the initial refusal, but once officials confirmed the travellers were not seeking asylum and had places to stay, they were allowed in. All hold valid passports.

Gift of the Givers is providing accommodation and has called for an inquiry into the "humiliation they've caused" the Palestinians, citing hours on the tarmac and denial of food. One traveller told eNCA that South Africa is a land of "peace, laws and justice" and said his family had "faced death on daily basis" in Gaza.

South Africa has long backed the Palestinian cause and has been critical of Israel’s Gaza campaign. In 2023, it filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which Israel called "baseless".