Gaza Palestinians Pay $2,000 Per Seat to Escape War-Torn Region for South Africa Amid Displacement Concerns

The Gaza conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led operatives conducted raids in southern Israel.

Cairo: Palestinians from Gaza reported paying $2,000 per seat to transport their families to South Africa through an arrangement organized by a group offering escape from the devastated territory. South Africa has expressed concerns that this might be part of a broader effort to displace Palestinians.

Reuters interviewed two Gazans who were among 130 Palestinians granted entry into South Africa. They traveled by bus from Gaza and departed from an Israeli airport last week, arriving in Johannesburg on Thursday after stopping in Nairobi.

South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, whose government has consistently supported Palestinian national aspirations and has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, announced Monday that authorities are investigating what he described as suspicious circumstances surrounding the aircraft's arrival.

"It appears to represent a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine," Lamola stated during a news briefing.

Israel has consistently denied accusations of genocide in Gaza, characterizing them as politically motivated. Israeli officials maintain that their military operations targeted Hamas, not Gaza's civilian population.

When asked about Lamola's statements, an Israeli government spokesperson responded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "made it clear that if Palestinians want to leave, they should be allowed to leave the Gaza Strip. And if they want to come back to the Gaza Strip, they should also be allowed to come back."

The spokesperson did not directly address questions regarding how the Palestinian group ended up in South Africa.

COGAT, the Israeli military division overseeing civilian affairs in Gaza, stated that the Palestinians departed after receiving approval from an unnamed third country to accept them, and that they possessed valid visas. The departure request included "documents confirming authorization to land in South Africa," according to COGAT.

Lamola countered, saying "at this stage the information we have is that they didn't have those required approvals and permits," adding that the matter remains under investigation.

Israel has eased restrictions on Palestinians leaving Gaza, as reported by Reuters in May, with approximately 1,000 Palestinians having been transported out of the enclave to board flights to Europe and other destinations. These departures required foreign government requests to Israel.

The two Palestinians interviewed said they discovered online advertisements from an organization called Al-Majd Europe offering opportunities to leave Gaza, and they applied approximately six months ago. The offer was exclusively available to families and required applicants to possess passports.

Reuters contacted Al-Majd Europe via an email address on their website but received no immediate response. No phone number was provided.

Both Palestinians eventually received WhatsApp messages from Al-Majd Europe informing them of security clearance approval. They departed Gaza by bus and were transported through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing before flying out of Ramon airport. They arrived in South Africa on November 13.

"I am a lymphoma cancer patient. How long would I have had to wait to be evacuated... I had to leave for treatment and for a better life for my family," said Ramzi Abu Youssef, 42, speaking to Reuters by phone from Johannesburg.

Abu Youssef departed with his wife and three children, aged 8, 10, and 12, and reported that two of his daughters had been killed in an Israeli attack in June 2024 during a raid on Nuseirat camp, where his house was destroyed.

The second Palestinian, who requested anonymity due to security concerns and to avoid upsetting his new hosts, explained that his family reluctantly decided to leave Gaza after enduring months of bombardment and being forced to evacuate their home in Deir al-Balah multiple times. Aged 35, he departed with his wife and two children, a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl.

Their departures highlight the dire conditions in Gaza more than a month after U.S. President Donald Trump secured a ceasefire in the conflict that has devastated much of the enclave.

The Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led operatives raided southern Israel, abducting 251 people and killing 1,200 others, according to Israeli figures.

Gaza health authorities report that more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military response.

The Palestinians arrived at Johannesburg airport on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya. Border authorities noted they lacked departure stamps, return tickets, and accommodation details. Abu Youssef stated that the group received 90-day visas, with some staying in hostels while others, including himself, are being hosted by members of Johannesburg's Muslim community.

Twenty-three individuals from the flight continued to other destinations.