"A shell company with Israeli ties exploited Palestinians desperate to flee the ongoing war in Gaza, charging them large sums of money to covertly exit the country in what may be an official plan to ethnically cleanse the territory. In an exclusive digital investigation, Al Jazeera probed last month's mystery flight that spirited 153 passengers from Gaza to South Africa, unearthing figures working for Al-Majd Europe, an unregistered front organisation that falsely claimed to be working for humanitarian aims."
"The Palestinians arrived at OR Tambo International Airport, which serves the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, on November 13. Refused entry by border police as they did not have departure stamps from Israel on their passports, they were stuck on the aircraft for 12 hours before being allowed to disembark. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted the passengers out of compassion, but said at the time that his government, which has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, would investigate."
"In March 2025, Israel's security cabinet set up a controversial bureau to get Palestinians to leave Gaza voluntarily, which was headed by former deputy director of the Ministry of Defence, Yaakov Blitstein. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said at the time that 40 percent of Gaza residents were interested in emigrating. The previous month, Al-Majd Europe set up its online presence with a new website stating that it focused on relief efforts in Muslim countries, specifically for Gazans wishing to exit Gaza,"
Al-Majd Europe operated as an unregistered front organisation that falsely claimed humanitarian aims while facilitating covert exits from Gaza. A shell company with Israeli ties charged desperate Palestinians large sums to covertly leave Gaza, potentially aiding efforts to ethnically cleanse the territory. On November 13 a flight transported 153 passengers from Gaza to South Africa; border police initially refused entry because passports lacked Israeli departure stamps, leaving people stuck on the aircraft for 12 hours before disembarkation. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted the passengers on compassionate grounds and announced an investigation amid claims they had been flushed out of the Gaza Strip. In March 2025 Israel's security cabinet established a bureau to encourage voluntary Palestinian departures, led by Yaakov Blitstein, and Israeli officials publicly promoted emigration; Al-Majd Europe launched an online presence the previous month claiming relief work for Gazans wishing to exit Gaza.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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