Gaza Families' Airport Nightmare in South Africa
A plane carrying families from Gaza faced a harrowing ordeal at a South African airport, being stranded for over nine hours. Initial reports suggest the South African government initially refused to allow them entry, intending to send them back to Gaza. This sparked outrage and confusion, leaving the families in limbo.
According to the South African NGO, Gift of the Givers, the families were eventually permitted to disembark after hours of tense negotiations. The organization reported that over 100 Gazans were finally allowed into the country following the lengthy delay on the plane, which landed in Johannesburg.
Why the Hold-Up?
The initial denial of entry stemmed from the Gazans lacking exit stamps on their passports. Gift of the Givers accused Israel of deliberately omitting the stamps to create further hardship for the families leaving Gaza. The NGO stated in a Facebook post: "The Border Management Authority acted in accordance with its mandate by not allowing passengers without an exit stamp to disembark. Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of these poor people to exacerbate their suffering in a foreign country."
Fortunately, the Minister of DIRCO intervened, writing to the Ministry of Home Affairs to waive the requirement. Gift of the Givers expressed gratitude for the intervention but suggested that Home Affairs could have acted unilaterally on humanitarian grounds.
Kerem Shalom Crossing and Recent Departures
It's reported that thousands of Gazans have recently exited the Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing, having secured entry permission from other countries. Reports suggest that even Hamas officials have used this route to evade prosecution.
This incident highlights the complex challenges faced by individuals and families seeking refuge and underscores the importance of humanitarian considerations in border control procedures.