6
Hundreds of Palestinians have recently arrived in South Africa on mysterious charter flights from Gaza, raising questions about who coordinated their escape and why. Many paid thousands of dollars to Al-Majd Europe, a little-known group accused of operating with opaque methods. Their journey involved secretive bus convoys, tense Israeli checkpoints, and a flight to an undisclosed destination before eventually landing in South Africa. The government, already under scrutiny as it prepares to host the G20 Summit, suspects the evacuations may be linked to Israeli efforts to depopulate Gaza—an allegation Israel denies. The arrivals have also sparked domestic criticism, as one planeload of Palestinians was stranded on the tarmac for over ten hours while their immigration status was resolved. For the evacuees, the ordeal ends in an unfamiliar country, but also a chance at safety.
The New York Times