South Africa's intelligence services are investigating who was behind a chartered plane that landed in Johannesburg with more than 150 Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza who did not have proper travel documents and were held onboard on the tarmac for around 12 hours as a result, the country's president said Friday. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Cape Town, Eunice Masson.

South Africa investigates a mysterious plane arrival with over 150 undocumented Palestinians from Gaza, sparking humanitarian concerns.

South African authorities are facing heavy criticism after holding more than 150 Palestinians on a plane for 12 hours after they landed in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.

Dozens of Palestinians who arrived in South Africa on a chartered flight will not be turned back, President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters on Friday.

South Africa’s border authorities said the Palestinians could not explain where they intended to stay, and did not have the exit stamps or slips that are usually issued by Israeli officials to people leaving Gaza.