South Africa admitted 130 Palestinians on November 13 after initially blocking their entry at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo Airport, The Cradle reported Saturday, citing border authorities.

Officials said the Palestinians landed on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya without departure stamps, return tickets, or accommodation details, triggering a 12-hour detention on the aircraft before the group was allowed to disembark.

President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters that his government is now examining how the trip was arranged and why the passengers arrived with incomplete documentation. 

“We obviously need to look at the origins [of the 130 Palestinians’ journey], where it started, the reason why they’ve been brought here,” he said.

Ramaphosa added that, despite the paperwork issues, South Africa accepted the group “out of compassion, and because they are a people that we as South Africa have raised our hands to support.”

Border officials said none of the passengers had applied for asylum. Authorities eventually approved entry for 130 travelers under a standard 90-day visa waiver, while 23 others had already continued to other countries. 

Humanitarian group Gift of the Givers provided accommodation and support after learning of their arrival.

Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, said the Palestinians “had no idea where they were bundled off to, only when in Kenya did they realize they were coming to South Africa.” 

“Nobody knew about that plane,” he said. “It seems… Israel is voluntarily removing people from Gaza — you know, this is ethnic cleansing at its best — and taking away their goods, their hygiene packs, their food, sending them onto chartered planes.”

He added that Israel sent the group without coordinating with South Africa, leaving officials unprepared for their entry.

According to Haaretz, the group departed Gaza on Wednesday through the Kerem Shalom crossing after vetting from the Israeli army. 

The report said they were taken by bus to Israel’s Ramon Airport, flown to Nairobi, and then boarded the charter to Johannesburg. An earlier group made the same trip two weeks ago and entered South Africa without incident.

South Africa’s interior ministry said the Palestinian embassy reported that an unregistered organization had arranged the trip “in an irregular and irresponsible manner.”