South Africa initially refused the Gazans' entry because they were unable to indicate the duration of their stay or the address of their accommodation.

The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of “human trafficking” and “blood trading” after a plane of 153 Gazans landed in South Africa, allegedly without its knowledge.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry released a statement warning against networks that seek to drive Palestinians, especially residents of the Gaza Strip, out of their homes in line with Israeli interests, but thanked South Africa for receiving the “misled members of our people.”

On Friday, a planeload of Palestinians was held on the tarmac of O.R. Tambo Airport outside of Johannesburg for 12 hours after flying in from Kenya. They left Gaza and flew to Kenya from Eilat’s Ramon Airport.

Palestinians refused entry to South Africa

South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) initially refused their entry because they were unable to indicate the duration of their stay or the address of their accommodation. Out of the 153, 23 had been transferred to their final destinations, while the remaining 130 were processed for entry into South Africa on a 90-day visa.

According to the PA, there was no prior notification or coordination with South African authorities.

The mystery of how the plane got there has perplexed Arab media for days. The trip was organized by Al-Majd Europe, which Al Jazeera reported has no office at its registered address in Sheikh Jarrah in Jerusalem.

The Foreign Ministry went on to “warn companies and entities that mislead our people, incite them to deportation or displacement, or engage in human trafficking, that they will bear legal consequences for their unlawful actions and will be subject to prosecution and accountability.”

“The ministry calls on our people, especially those in the Gaza Strip, to exercise caution and not fall victim to human trafficking, blood traders, or displacement agents.”

Imtiaz Suleiman, founder of the South African aid organization Gift of the Givers, said that testimonies from the passengers indicated that Israel assisted them in leaving Gaza without stamping their passports, leaving them stranded in third countries.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) told Israeli media that a third country had agreed to accept the Palestinians, as part of a government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave.

South Africa is a major ally of the Palestinian cause, going so far as to take Israel to the International Court of Justice on genocide charges.

What is the al-Majd organization?

The alleged organization in charge, Al-Majd Europe, was reportedly established in Germany in 2010.

However, The Jerusalem Post was not able to verify its nonprofit status. German tax law requires tax-privileged organizations to be listed in the public Charity Register maintained by the Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) to receive tax-deductible donations. Organizations based in Germany are automatically entered, but “Al-Majd Europe” does not appear.

Additionally, the email address provided on the website bounced back automated messages stating it does not exist, and the site uses AI-generated images for its “executives.”

Upon clicking to donate to the organization, there are two options: government-regulated currencies or crypto.