Israel's Gaza Exodus Plan Hits Turbulence: Flights to South Africa Raise Complex Questions

Shares of Al-Majd Europe, a company facilitating the departure of Palestinians from Gaza, have seen a significant increase in recent months, with at least two flights carrying hundreds of passengers to South Africa since June 2025. The latest flight, which landed in South Africa on November 13, 2025, carried 153 Palestinians who had paid between 1,500 and 5,000 to leave Gaza. The passengers were initially denied disembarkation by South African authorities, citing a lack of documentation and notification from Israeli authorities, but were eventually allowed to leave on humanitarian grounds. According to Refaat Ibrahim, a Palestinian writer from Gaza, the operation is run by a few Palestinians on the ground in coordination with the Israeli occupation authorities. Ibrahim stated, "This is the latest scheme Israel is deploying to depopulate Gaza, a longstanding goal of its apartheid regime that goes back to the early 20th century." The Israeli government has long sought to reduce the Palestinian population in Gaza, citing security concerns and demographic obstacles to establishing a Jewish state. The flights, which have been taking place since June, have been met with criticism from human rights groups and international organizations. The United Nations has expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and documentation in the process, as well as the potential for exploitation of vulnerable individuals. "We are deeply concerned about the welfare of the passengers and the lack of clear information about the flights," said a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Israeli government has maintained that the flights are a humanitarian effort to provide Palestinians with an opportunity to leave Gaza, where living conditions are dire. However, critics argue that the operation is a form of population transfer, which is a violation of international law. "This is a classic example of population transfer, where the Israeli government is using coercion and manipulation to move people out of Gaza," said Ibrahim. The latest flight has sparked renewed debate about the Israeli government's policies towards Gaza and the Palestinian people. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the international community will respond to this latest development. The South African government has announced that it will be conducting an investigation into the incident, and the Israeli government has stated that it will cooperate fully with the investigation. In the meantime, the Palestinian people in Gaza continue to face significant challenges, including poverty, unemployment, and limited access to basic services. The situation in Gaza remains a pressing humanitarian concern, and the international community is urged to take action to address the root causes of the crisis. As Ibrahim noted, "The people of Gaza deserve better than to be treated as pawns in a game of population transfer."