Pakistan, Nov. 15 -- More than 150 Palestinians arrived in South Africa on Thursday under mysterious circumstances, with indications that they were forced to leave the Gaza Strip, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday. The group landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg but was kept on the charter plane for 12 hours due to missing departure stamps from Israel on their passports.

The South African home affairs ministry eventually allowed the passengers to disembark after the Gift of the Givers charity guaranteed accommodation for them. "It does seem like they were being flushed out," Ramaphosa said, noting that South Africa admitted the group "out of compassion" while the details of their departure from Gaza are invest...