An extensive investigation by The Associated Press has uncovered that an Israeli organization with ties to far-right political agendas has been orchestrating covert evacuation flights transporting Palestinians from Gaza to destinations including South Africa and Indonesia. The operation, which began in May and continued through November, has transported hundreds of Gazans amid the ongoing conflict that has devastated the territory.
The flights were organized through a complex arrangement designed to obscure Israeli involvement. Ad Kan, an Israeli group founded by soldiers and former intelligence officers, operated through another entity called Al-Majd, which presents itself as a humanitarian organization ‘supporting Palestinian lives.’ This layered structure effectively distanced the operation from its Israeli origins, according to contracts, passenger manifests, financial records, and interviews with more than two dozen individuals involved.
Passengers interviewed expressed largely pragmatic attitudes toward the evacuations. ‘There was famine, and we had no options. My children were almost killed,’ stated one 37-year-old Palestinian who arrived in South Africa in November. Many emphasized that their primary concern was escaping the devastation, regardless of who facilitated their departure.
The operation’s ideological underpinnings trace back to Ad Kan founder Gilad Ach, a West Bank settler activist and staunch supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to resettle Palestinians from Gaza. Ach had previously published detailed plans for implementing ‘voluntary exit’ programs, arguing that emptying Gaza of its Palestinian population was both feasible and in Israel’s interest.
South African officials have condemned the flights as part of a ‘clear agenda to cleanse out the Palestinians out of Gaza and West Bank.’ Following the arrival of flights in November, South Africa revoked its 90-day visa exemption for Palestinian passport holders, citing ‘deliberate and ongoing abuse’ by Israelis linked to emigration efforts.
Financial arrangements revealed passengers paid up to $2,000 per person through bank and cryptocurrency transfers. The operation required coordination with Israeli authorities, as Palestinians need official permission to leave Gaza. Israeli government offices declined to comment on the flights or whether those who left would be permitted to return.
The revelation raises significant questions about the boundaries between humanitarian evacuation and political agendas in conflict zones, particularly regarding the protection of vulnerable populations and the transparency of cross-border operations during humanitarian crises.