Displaced Palestinians in Gaza are facing a relentless string of hardships, as heavy rains battered makeshift camps in Gaza City on November 16, 2025, flooding tents and leaving families scrambling for shelter. According to the United Nations, Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid have exacerbated the crisis, leaving hundreds of thousands without adequate protection against the elements. The situation in Gaza has become so dire that, as reported by multiple news outlets including BBC and FRANCE 24, the combination of ongoing military operations and harsh living conditions is pushing families to their limits.
The latest wave of misery comes on the heels of Israeli airstrikes that killed at least three people in Gaza on the same day. At a cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly expressed uncertainty about the future, saying he was "unsure" how long the current ceasefire would last. This uncertainty has left many in Gaza bracing for further violence, even as they struggle to cope with the aftermath of the flooding and a chronic shortage of basic necessities.
Meanwhile, a separate but related drama has been unfolding thousands of miles away in South Africa. On November 14, 2025, a plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza landed in Johannesburg under mysterious circumstances. The passengers, who had been granted entry clearance by South Africa according to Israeli officials, were kept aboard the aircraft for 12 hours due to missing Israeli departure stamps in their passports. This bureaucratic snag left them stranded and anxious, unsure if they would be allowed to set foot on South African soil.
The ordeal ended only when the South African NGO Gift of the Givers stepped in, promising to provide accommodation for the displaced Gazans. This intervention allowed the home affairs ministry to permit the passengers to disembark. According to FRANCE 24, the NGO's representatives said they had no prior knowledge of who had chartered the flight, nor of a previous similar flight on October 28 that brought 176 Gazans to South Africa. The lack of transparency surrounding the flights has fueled speculation and concern among both South African officials and civil society groups.
Shimi Zuaretz, a spokesperson for COGAT—the Israeli body responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories—explained that the Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza only after COGAT "received approval from a third country to receive them." Later, COGAT clarified to FRANCE 24’s Jerusalem correspondent, Noga Tarnopolsky, that the third country in question was indeed South Africa. "This is quite significant because what Israel is contending—via this admission from the spokesperson—is that South Africa invited these Gazans to come, authorised their arrival and then—facing a significant backlash from the population from South Africa and civil society groups who fear that Israel is trying to perpetrate ethnic cleansing in Gaza by sending these Gazans out—backtracked and pretended not to know anything at all," Tarnopolsky reported. "So this is quite a serious change of tone from the Israel army."
The confusion and controversy surrounding the flights have not gone unnoticed at the highest levels of government. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told journalists, "These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here. It seemed like they were being flushed out." His remarks echoed the concerns of many South Africans, who have long supported the Palestinian cause and are wary of being drawn into a broader regional conflict.
South Africa’s home affairs ministry later announced that 130 of the Gazans had been allowed to enter the country, while the remaining 23 took onward flights to other destinations. The ministry’s decision came after intense public debate and pressure from advocacy groups, some of whom feared that the arrival of so many displaced people might be part of a larger strategy to depopulate Gaza. The situation was further complicated by the fact that the NGO Gift of the Givers, which ultimately provided accommodation, said it had not been involved in organizing the flights and was unaware of the identities of those who had arranged them.
Israeli officials, for their part, have maintained that they are simply facilitating the safe departure of Gaza residents who have legitimate reasons to leave, such as medical treatment, dual citizenship, or visas to third countries. Zuaretz stated, "COGAT facilitates the departure of Gaza residents through Israel to receiving countries, for patients requiring medical treatment, dual citizens and their family members, or those possessing visas to third countries." He added, "Israel bases its decisions solely on requests received from foreign countries," and noted that since October 7, 2023, Israel has facilitated the departure of more than 40,000 Gaza residents for these reasons.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has drawn international attention and condemnation. South Africa, which hosts the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa, has been particularly vocal in its support for Palestinians. In 2023, the South African government filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide in Gaza. This legal action has further strained relations between the two countries and heightened scrutiny of Israel’s policies regarding the movement of people out of Gaza.
For the Palestinians who remain in Gaza, the challenges are mounting. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that restrictions on humanitarian aid are leaving hundreds of thousands exposed to the elements, without sufficient food, water, or medical care. The recent flooding has only made matters worse, destroying what little shelter many families had managed to cobble together in the sprawling camps that now dominate much of Gaza City.
The uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire adds another layer of anxiety. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s admission that he is "unsure" how long the truce will last has left many residents fearing a return to full-scale hostilities. At the same time, the exodus of Gazans to countries like South Africa raises difficult questions about the future of the territory and the fate of its people. Is this a temporary measure to protect the most vulnerable, or part of a broader, more troubling trend?
As the world watches, the plight of Gaza’s displaced families continues to unfold—one rainstorm, one airstrike, and one mysterious flight at a time. For those caught in the middle, the search for safety and dignity remains as urgent as ever.