The group initially struggled to enter South Africa because their documents were incomplete, but the Department of Home Affairs stepped in and allowed them entry on humanitarian grounds. The aid organisation Gift of the Givers then moved quickly to help accommodate them.

Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, said the organisation is deeply concerned about how the group ended up in South Africa. He noted that they still do not know who arranged the flight or the full circumstances behind the journey. What is known, he said, is that the plane was chartered through a company linked to a local airline, the same company involved in transporting a previous group of Palestinians in October.

Sooliman suggested that many of the arrivals may have been moved without fully understanding where they were being taken, describing the situation as a form of forced migration involving vulnerable people who had already endured trauma. He said some individuals only learned they were headed to South Africa once they landed.

Naeem Jeenah from the Civil Society Coalition said refugees reported that they were taken by bus out of Gaza through the Karim Shalom crossing, then flown out from Raman airport before ending up in South Africa. He alleged that an organisation with ties to Israeli authorities was involved and said some passengers paid between $1,500 and $5,000 online to secure their escape from the conflict zone.

One man from an earlier group said he paid $6,000 for his family but was only allowed to travel with basic items like clothing, passports, and phones.

President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the confusion surrounding the group’s arrival. He said it was still unclear who organised the journey but stressed that South Africa would not turn away people fleeing a war zone, even without proper documents. He confirmed that a formal investigation will be launched to determine how and why these refugees were transported to the country.

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Dozens of Israeli settlers carried out coordinated arson attacks on Tuesday, targeting a Palestinian warehouse, farmland, and a Bedouin village near Beit Lid in the northern West Bank. Footage from the area showed masked men setting fire to vehicles and tents, while residents attempted to put out the flames.

Palestinian officials condemned the incidents, describing them as part of a campaign to create “a hostile environment through intimidation and terror.” Israeli forces said they intervened to disperse the clashes and arrested four suspects after settlers also attacked soldiers at the scene.

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog called the violence “shocking and serious,” warning that attacks on both civilians and soldiers “cross a red line.” Senior military officials also denounced the assaults, describing them as “anarchist” acts that threaten regional stability.

According to the UN, settler violence in the West Bank has reached record levels, with more than 260 attacks in October alone — the highest monthly total in nearly 20 years. Over 1,500 incidents have been recorded since the start of 2025, resulting in injuries, property destruction, and widespread damage to olive trees and farmland.

Human rights groups have long accused Israeli forces of failing to prevent or punish such attacks. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, stated that “impunity cannot prevail” and called for accountability for those responsible.

The violence comes amid a broader surge in settlement expansion. The Israeli watchdog Peace Now reports that more than 5,600 new housing units have been approved in West Bank settlements this year — an all-time high. Pro-settler officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have pushed policies aimed at solidifying Israeli control over the occupied territories, a move critics warn could “bury” any future hope for a Palestinian state.

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Witnesses in Gaza described seeing “pillars of fire and smoke” rising over homes and crowded neighborhoods as explosions shook the night sky. Health officials said at least 104 people were killed, including dozens of children and women, and over 250 others were injured.

Entire families were buried beneath the rubble. In Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood, rescuers pulled three women and a man from the remains of the al-Banna family home. In Bureij camp, five members of the Abu Sharar family were killed when a strike hit their house. In Khan Younis, relatives wept as they mourned a mother, Bayan al-Shawaf, and her four children who died in a strike on a tent where displaced families had been sleeping.

“What kind of ceasefire is this?” cried Bayan’s cousin, Umm Mohammed. “The children were sleeping — they just wanted to live, to learn.”

Israel’s military said the strikes were a response to what it called “violations of the ceasefire” by Hamas, accusing the group of launching an attack that killed a soldier, identified as Master Sergeant Yona Efraim Feldbaum. The attack reportedly took place near Rafah, when Israeli engineers working to dismantle a tunnel came under fire.

Israeli leaders vowed retaliation, saying Hamas had crossed a “red line.” But Hamas denied involvement, insisting it remained committed to the ceasefire and accusing Israel of trying to provoke renewed fighting.

The United States said it believed the ceasefire would hold, even as it backed Israel’s right to respond to attacks. “Nothing will jeopardize the ceasefire,” said President Trump, while also stating that Israel “should hit back” if its soldiers are targeted.

International voices expressed concern over the mounting death toll. The UN’s human rights chief called the reports of civilian deaths “appalling,” urging all sides not to let the chance for peace slip away.

The ceasefire, brokered by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, was meant to be the first stage of a broader peace plan. Under the agreement, Hamas was to return all hostages — living and deceased — while Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Tensions spiked earlier in the week after Hamas returned a coffin that Israel said did not contain the remains of one of its hostages. Israel called it a “clear violation” of the deal, while Hamas dismissed the accusation as false.

Despite repeated efforts to maintain calm, the violence has reignited fears that Gaza could once again descend into full-scale war. Since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in 2023, more than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands more injured or displaced.

As Gaza’s people sift through rubble and grief, many are left wondering how long any truce can truly last.

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Speaking about the proposal, which calls for Arab and international partners to help train Palestinian police forces and stabilize Gaza, the King said peacekeeping is acceptable — but peace enforcement is not.

“What matters is the mission’s purpose,” he said. “If it’s truly peacekeeping, then countries can help train and support local police. But if it’s about running armed patrols in Gaza, that’s not something anyone will want to do.”

He added that Jordan and Egypt are ready to train Palestinian security personnel but ruled out sending Jordanian troops into Gaza, noting the country’s deep political and emotional ties to the Palestinian people. Over half of Jordan’s population has Palestinian roots, and the country has long hosted millions of refugees from past conflicts.

When asked whether he trusts Hamas to give up political control of Gaza, the King said he relies on assurances from mediating nations like Qatar and Egypt. “They’re optimistic,” he said. “And if we don’t find a future for both Palestinians and Israelis, we’re doomed.”

The King has been directly involved in humanitarian efforts, including flying over Gaza to drop aid and helping evacuate children wounded in the conflict. More than 250 children, many seriously injured, have been brought to Jordan for medical treatment. Thousands more are still waiting for evacuation.

Queen Rania, who is of Palestinian descent, expressed heartbreak over the prolonged suffering in Gaza. “For two years, parents have watched their children suffer — terrified, hungry, powerless — while the world stood by,” she said.

She praised the recent ceasefire agreement, noting that pressure on Israel helped make it happen. “It took real diplomatic strength to get both sides to pause. For that, we’re grateful,” she said.

Despite the devastation, the Queen said she still believes in peace. “It’s not naïve to hope,” she said. “It’s an act of courage. Choosing hope is hard — but it’s the only path that doesn’t betray our shared humanity.”

The conflict has taken a staggering toll. Tens of thousands have been killed in Gaza since the fighting began, following a deadly Hamas attack on Israel. Though ceasefire and prisoner exchanges have brought some relief, both sides remain wary, and many families are still waiting for word about missing loved ones.

For King Abdullah and Queen Rania, the message is clear: peace will only last if it’s built on justice, dignity, and humanity for all.

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The assault, captured on video, shows the attacker hitting her with a heavy wooden stick, knocking her unconscious before striking her again as she lay on the ground. Witnesses said the incident occurred in the presence of Israeli soldiers who reportedly left moments before the settlers launched their attack.

The victim, a mother of five, was rushed to intensive care but is now in stable condition. Relatives confirmed she sustained multiple head injuries. The attack was part of a larger assault involving around 15 masked settlers who also threw stones, torched a car, and injured other Palestinians and activists assisting with the olive harvest.

Such attacks have become increasingly common during the harvest season, a vital cultural and economic period for Palestinian families. According to humanitarian monitors, thousands of Palestinians have been injured in settler violence this year, with most cases going unpunished.

Residents say the violence is aimed at forcing Palestinians off their land, deepening tensions in the already volatile West Bank.

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Health workers at Al-Awda Hospital report an alarming rise in severe malnutrition cases, now affecting children as young as two months and as old as twelve years. Dr. Rana Abu Zaatir, who heads the hospital’s nutrition department, warned that limited access to food and medical supplies is pushing Gaza toward a deeper crisis.

Only four malnutrition treatment centers remain operational in the entire region. With northern Gaza cut off from aid deliveries for weeks, hospitals are struggling to provide therapeutic food and basic care for starving patients.

“There are many children and adults dying from malnutrition and its complications,” said Dr. Zaatir. “If border crossings remain closed and food prices keep rising, we will face a real disaster. People simply don’t have enough to eat.”

The World Food Program has noted slight improvements in humanitarian access but insists that entry to northern Gaza must be restored immediately. The agency also emphasized that a lasting ceasefire is essential to deliver life-saving food to those most in need.

Experts estimate that around half a million people in Gaza City are already living in famine conditions, underscoring the urgent need for global intervention.

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These freedom-loving men and women have shown extraordinary bravery, choosing not to remain silent in the face of genocide, occupation, and apartheid. Their mission was not one of war, but of peace – to deliver aid and solidarity to the besieged people of Gaza who continue to endure unimaginable suffering under the brutality of Israel’s illegal blockade.

We must recall the words of Nelson Mandela, who declared that “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinian people.” Today, those words remain as urgent and true as ever. The interception of this humanitarian flotilla is an affront not only to international law, but to the very spirit of human solidarity that Madiba lived and died for.

We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela and all detained activists. We call on the international community, the United Nations, the African Union, and progressive governments across the world to intervene without delay. The detained activists must be granted safe passage so they may continue their noble mission to Gaza.

History will remember the courage of these activists who refused to look away. As South Africans, we know too well that the arc of history bends toward justice – but only because men and women of conscience dare to resist oppression.

The struggle of the Palestinian people is our struggle. Their freedom is our freedom. Until Palestine is free, none of us are free.

FREE MANDELA. FREE GAZA. FREE PALESTINE.

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Speaking via video after US authorities barred him and 80 officials from travelling to New York, Abbas backed the proposal unveiled earlier this week by French President Emmanuel Macron at a summit co-chaired with Saudi Arabia.

The plan calls for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas alongside a halt to Israeli military operations in Gaza. A transitional administration, led by Abbas’s Palestinian Authority but excluding Hamas, would then govern Gaza—laying the groundwork for a sovereign, demilitarised Palestinian state.

Abbas stressed that Hamas must disarm and that he would not allow it to take part in Gaza’s future governance. He also urged countries that have not yet recognised Palestine to do so, noting that Canada, Australia, the UK, Portugal, France, and several European states recently extended recognition.

At the same time, Abbas condemned Israel’s offensive in Gaza, describing it as “one of the most horrific humanitarian tragedies of the 20th and 21st centuries.” According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians—half of them women and children—have been killed since the war began in October 2023. Abbas also rejected Hamas’s attack on Israel that triggered the conflict, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

Looking ahead, the 89-year-old leader pledged that once the war ends, Palestine would hold new presidential and parliamentary elections within a year, rebuild its institutions with Arab and international support, and establish a democratic state guided by rule of law, pluralism, and the empowerment of women and youth.

Despite his commitment, Israel has repeatedly ruled out any future role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, while the United States remains opposed to recognising Palestinian statehood, arguing it would reward Hamas.

Still, Abbas insisted that a path toward peace was possible if the international community acted with unity.

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The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry has confirmed that Israel has committed four of the five genocidal acts defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention, including mass killings, starvation of civilians, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and deliberate acts of dehumanisation. These findings affirm what Palestinians and solidarity movements have long asserted: Israel is pursuing a state-led campaign of extermination. To deny this reality or excuse it is to be complicit.

Helen Zille says genocide is a big word. Reality is that, as Rev. Chikane says:

> “Genocide is not just a word, it is reality, it is a word happening in a big way in Gaza now. Children are being starved to death; Palestinians are killed in their thousands; hospitals, schools, places of worship, and any life-supporting systems, settlements destroyed and bombed. This falls within the definition of Genocide in terms of the UN Genocide Convention. You can’t lie and say, you don’t know or did not know!”

Helen Zille’s remarks are not accidental but a deliberate attempt to whitewash genocide. Her position mirrors the logic of South Africa’s former apartheid rulers and undermines the values of our own Constitution. We are not surprised considering how the DA governs the Western Cape, where the poor communities are attacked through deliberate actions of deficiency in service delivery.

South Africans know from lived experience that liberation is only possible when global solidarity isolates perpetrators of injustice. Today, we carry that same responsibility to stand with the Palestinian people, intensify boycotts, and mobilise for sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel.

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