A growing number of Palestinians are taking extraordinary and risky steps to escape the ongoing conflict in gaza, as evidenced by the recent arrival of hundreds in South Africa.Organized by a shadowy European entity known as “Al-Majd Europe,” these secretive evacuations raise critical questions about access to safe passage, the exploitation of vulnerable populations, and the logistical challenges of coordinating civilian movement out of active war zones. The journeys, involving circuitous routes, opaque payment schemes, and instructions to misrepresent their status to Israeli authorities, highlight the desperation driving Palestinians to seek refuge-and the precariousness of their situation even after reaching perceived safety, with questions remaining about long-term support and the organization facilitating their passage. The story also offers a poignant glimpse into the psychological impact of conflict,particularly on children,and the simple joys many are experiencing for the first time outside the realities of war.
Published On 18/11/2025
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Hundreds of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip have arrived in South Africa after embarking on secretive journeys organized by a relatively unknown entity called “Al-Majd Europe.” The unexpected arrivals have surprised both South African authorities and the Palestinians themselves, highlighting the desperation of those seeking to escape the ongoing conflict.
The situation raises questions about the logistics of these movements and the motivations behind them, as well as the potential for similar, uncoordinated evacuations from conflict zones. Among those who took the risk is Ahmed Shehada, a doctor from Gaza, who received a call from someone claiming to represent a humanitarian organization offering a safe passage for his family. The offer, requiring a $1,600 per-person payment in cryptocurrency with limited details, initially seemed fraudulent. However, after learning a friend had successfully left using the same method, he decided to proceed.
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Shehada’s family’s 24-hour journey involved travel in two separate buses with closed windows and strict instructions to avoid using mobile phones. They were also told to inform Israeli forces that they were part of a “French evacuation.”
Upon reaching the Karem Abu Salem crossing, they were forced to leave all their belongings before being transported to Ramon Airport in the Negev Desert, and boarded a plane with an unknown destination.
Mid-flight, passengers discovered they were headed first to Nairobi, Kenya, and then onward to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Upon arrival in Johannesburg on October 28, they received standard entry permits, but the last communication from “Al-Majd Europe” indicated accommodation was booked for only one week, despite an initial agreement for a full month.
Another traveler, Louay Abu Saif, described a similar lack of information, stating, “We didn’t even know where we were going.”
The group faced several hours of uncertainty inside the plane while authorities worked to determine their legal status, before ultimately being allowed entry with the assistance of local organizations.
According to a message on the “Al-Majd Europe” website, accessed by the New York Times on Monday, the organization continues to operate and provide services, while warning of online scams using its name. However, the organization did not respond to calls or messages at the listed phone numbers.
Beyond the political ramifications, the story is fundamentally human, the New York Times reported, as illustrated by Ahmed Shehada’s account of his young daughter discovering what it means to live outside of war: being able to enter a store, buy food, or charge a phone from a wall outlet – simple things she had previously only seen in YouTube videos.
“Papa… we’re living like on YouTube,” she told him with childlike wonder.
