Mysterious Flights: Palestinians 'Flushed Out' of Gaza Amid Health Crisis and War

Lead

In an unfolding controversy, Palestinian patients from the Gaza Strip were deported from Jerusalem hospitals back to the war-torn region, while hundreds of other Palestinians have been mysteriously transported to South Africa. The circumstances surrounding these movements have raised international concern and allegations of ethnic cleansing.

Background

Since the war erupted in October 2023, the Gaza Strip has been grappling with a health crisis, with Palestinian patients seeking treatment in Jerusalem. However, Israeli authorities have recently deported dozens of these patients back to Gaza¹. Meanwhile, hundreds more Palestinians have arrived in South Africa under suspicious conditions², in a series of events coordinated by a controversial agency known as Al-Majd Europe³⁴.

Key Developments

Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin condemned the transfers, describing them as part of an illegal ethnic cleansing process³. On the other side, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola referred to the arrival of a plane carrying Palestinian refugees as a “clearly orchestrated operation”⁵.

Both the Palestinian Authority and South African authorities were reportedly unaware of the Al-Majd Europe's operations³⁴. Al Jazeera has reported that the evacuees arrived in Johannesburg without proper documentation or coordination⁶.

Local media sources reported that two buses carrying patients and their families arrived at the Kerem Abu Salem crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel¹. Reports also shared that a chartered flight carrying over 150 Palestinians was facilitated by Al-Majd Europe in close collaboration with the Israeli military⁶.

Allegations and Implications

The organization Al-Majd Europe, which claims to help Palestinians emigrate to third countries, has been accused of facilitating forcible transfer from Gaza⁴. Al-Hares, a resistance-affiliated security platform, confirmed that the entity operates in coordination with the Israeli occupation authorities and functions entirely outside any official framework⁷.

Palestinian families have been starved and bombed for two years, with lives and livelihoods shattered⁸. These recent deportations and transfers, if true, could further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region.

South African activists have accused Israel of using Al-Majd Europe as a tool to force Palestinians out of Gaza, decrying it as a form of ethnic cleansing⁹¹⁰.

Conclusion

The current situation presents a complex humanitarian and political issue. As investigations continue into the operations of Al-Majd Europe and the circumstances surrounding these movements, the global community waits for clarity and justice for the Palestinians affected.