News24 | Over 150 Palestinian refugees denied entry and stranded at OR Tambo airport

Over 150 Palestinian refugees remain stranded on a plane at OR Tambo International Airport after being denied entry into South Africa due to missing exit stamps.

• More than 150 Palestinian refugees, seeking asylum in South Africa, remain stranded on an aircraft at OR Tambo International Airport after being denied entry.
• According to Gift of the Givers, the group’s entry was prohibited because they did not have exit stamps, which Israel allegedly withheld deliberately.
• Global Airways, the carrier that transported the group from Nairobi, stated that immigration compliance was followed, and the carrier was not informed of potential entry issues prior to landing.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding at OR Tambo International Airport, where more than 150 Palestinian refugees reportedly seeking asylum in South Africa have been denied entry and left stranded on an aircraft.

The refugees, who arrived from Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday morning, were denied entry due to missing exit stamps in their passports – a move that humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers claims was deliberately orchestrated by Israeli authorities to compound their plight.

According to Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the group landed at the airport but were prohibited from disembarking the aircraft.

By 21:00 on Thursday, the group of Palestinians were still on the aircraft.

Global Airways, which flew the group in from Nairobi, confirmed the passengers were denied entry, stating that it had followed all the requirements under South African and international immigration laws before flying the group in.

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The airline stated that it shared the list of 153 passengers and their travel credentials with the relevant South African authorities 24 hours before the charter flight’s departure.

“At no point prior to landing at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport at 07:50 today (Thursday) was Global Airways informed that the passengers would be deemed inadmissible,” the airline statement read.

“Global Airways is cooperating with the BMA (Border Management Authority) and will assist with the repatriation or onward travel arrangements for the affected passengers.”

It is not yet clear who facilitated the travel for the Palestinians.

Sooliman said Department of International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs to waive the requirement for an entry stamp, “yet this could have been implemented by home affairs unilaterally on humanitarian grounds”, he said.

Gift of the Givers volunteer Sarah Oosthuisen said the passengers included a pregnant woman and children who had not had a decent meal since their arrival.

She said:

“There is no aircon on the plane. Food and water is delayed so we called in urgent medical need, and the women and children were escorted off so that they could get refreshed, but still have not eaten appropriately, so we called paramedics.” The men remained on the aircraft.

Oosthuisen said those responsible for getting the group to South Africa were under investigation. “But we have an idea.”

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She said the organisation was working on approaching the court for an urgent interdict preventing the plane from returning with people who are seeking asylum.

She said the organisation had an interpreter and a social worker on board to assist the refugees.

News24 has contacted the Department of Home Affairs, whose comments will be added once received.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation referred enquiries to border management control.