Exclusive: Gaza man paid Al-Majd $6,000 for 'suspicious' South Africa flight

South Africa remains on edge since the arrival last week of 153 Palestinians fleeing Israeli genocide in Gaza, as fears grow that Israel could have kick-started its long-anticipated programme of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians under the guise of 'voluntary migration'.

The arrival of the refugees on a chartered plane from Kenya prompted South Africa to launch an investigation into the origins of the plane and its reported connection with Al-Majd, an opaque organisation credited with arranging the trip.

One of the people on the plane is 30 year-old A.K. who paid Al-Majd $6000 for the journey covering him, his wife and their one-year-old child.

A.K. had worked as a flute and guitar player before the war broke out. He enjoyed his job so much as it made him travel through the length and breadth of Palestine playing music at social gatherings like wedding ceremonies.

He told The New Arab, “I lived in Gaza City, and like most young people in Gaza, I dreamed of a safe, stable life. Before the war, I was engaged and preparing for my wedding, which was planned for December 2023. I had already bought and furnished a home for my future family.

“When the war began, everything collapsed. My house was bombed and completely destroyed, and my family was displaced many times. Despite all this suffering, I still did not plan to leave Gaza. I married during the war without any wedding ceremony, and my wife and I escaped death dozens of times.”

A.K. said he once hesitated to leave Gaza but had to consider the safety of his family and the future of her child which was not guaranteed in Gaza.  

“I left to escape war, death, and hopelessness. At the moment, I do not plan to return unless Gaza becomes stable again and there is a guarantee that no more wars will happen. I have already lived through six major wars in my life".

A.K. recounted how he came to know about Al-Majd, “The journey began when I registered through an online link belonging to the Majd organization. After some time, they contacted me to say my family had been accepted for travel. They asked me to send $6,000 to a bank account and wait for further instructions,” adding that one day he received a call from a private number telling him to go with his wife and child to a gathering point in Deir al-Balah.

“From there, we were taken to the Kerem Shalom crossing, where Israeli soldiers inspected us. After that, we were transported to Ramon Airport. We flew from Israel to Kenya, and then from Kenya to South Africa.”

"We were told that our initial destination was South Africa, and from there we could continue to other countries willing to accept us.” 

He said he received the shock of his life when they were refused to disembark at OR Tambo Airport by the South African Border Management Authority who asked for exit stamps, proof of accommodation and return tickets among other demands.

He explained, “I didn’t know that my passport needed to be stamped by Israel. I assumed that there were agreements between Israel and the host country, or with the Palestinian Authority, to finalize the paperwork. 

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola told reporters on Monday that he was afraid that this could be the beginning of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza.

“We are suspicious, as the South African government, about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane. We do not want any further flights to come our way because there is a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank and those areas which South Africa is against.

“It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world, and is a clearly orchestrated operation.”

Minister Lamola’s fears were echoed by South African-based civil organisations that advocate for a free Palestine.

“On 13 November 2025, Palestinians fleeing genocide in Gaza arrived at OR Tambo airport under circumstances that raise serious concerns about human trafficking and Israel's ethnic cleansing operations," said a statement by Civil Society Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA).

“The people on the plane had registered on the website of an organization called Al-Majd, which had promised to provide them safe passage out of the genocide, and charged them an amount of money.”

However, the civil organization said its investigations revealed that Al-Majd is linked to the Israeli state.

 “The manner in which they left Gaza and were unknowingly transported to South Africa points to the deep involvement of the Israeli state, and Israel’s violation of the rights of people desperate for respite from its genocidal atrocities in Gaza,” said the group.

“I plan to stay only for a short period until I arrange my documents to travel to another country. If I am granted asylum in South Africa, I would be grateful, but I understand that the process is not easy.”

Meanwhile Gift of the Givers said it  seriously takes the safety of the Palestinian refugees under its custody given the G20 meeting set for next week arguing that detractors of the country will be putting intense pressure to embarrass South Africa.

Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman said in a statement on Tuesday (today),“But as everyone should understand there is an all-out war when it comes to Israel, Zionists and Palestine. Gift of the Givers manages this aspect as well as the legal aspects of this intervention. We will cover all the costs in everything related to taking care of this mission including the urgent interdict that was going to be filed against the plane leaving South Africa with the refugees back to Kenya.”