Israeli rescue delegation returns home after week of earthquake aid mission in Venezuela

Israel's rescue delegation has concluded its mission in Venezuela and returned home on Monday, after a week of intensive search-and-rescue operations following the twin earthquakes that struck the South American country, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The delegation, comprising personnel from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Home Front Command, and volunteer organizations including Magen and Ready for Rescue, was deployed to Venezuela on June 24. According to the Jerusalem Post, the team worked alongside local forces and was directed to sites where buildings had collapsed, carrying out search-and-recovery work manually under difficult field conditions.

During its operations, the delegation recovered numerous bodies from the rubble of collapsed buildings and opened key access routes to support continued rescue efforts by local and international teams. The delegation also helped local authorities plan reconstruction efforts, according to reports.

A week of work on the ground

Eran Magen, head of the delegation, described the work as "manual, prolonged, and highly complex," saying the team operated "day and night" at multiple sites. "We go to every site where authorities have received information that people were inside buildings that collapsed," he said.

The delegation was dispatched on June 24 and worked alongside local government forces, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. On July 8, the delegation met with Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez, according to the same report.

The team, comprising personnel from the Foreign Ministry, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, and various Israeli military bodies, was also involved in planning reconstruction efforts with the local government.

Coverage comparisons

Reports on the delegation's activities describe a week-long deployment involving search-and-rescue operations, recovery of bodies from collapsed buildings, and efforts to open access routes for continued operations. The delegation was described as working "day and night" alongside local authorities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the commander of the delegation, praising the team's efforts. According to one report, Netanyahu said the delegation was showing "the true face of Israel" through its humanitarian work.

Casualty figures from the earthquakes vary across reports. One account cites more than 2,300 people killed, with thousands injured and homeless, and 41,136 people reported missing. Another report places the death toll at over 3,800, with nearly 17,000 injured and nearly 18,000 homeless. A third report gives figures of over 3,000 killed, 16,470 injured, and 17,345 homeless.

Health authorities have warned that overcrowding in shelters and disruptions to medical care pose significant risks in the aftermath of the disaster.

Key claims

  • An Israeli rescue delegation comprising personnel from Magen, Ready for Rescue, and SmartAID was deployed to Venezuela on June 24 and concluded its mission on Monday.
  • The delegation conducted search-and-rescue operations at multiple sites of collapsed buildings and recovered numerous bodies.
  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with delegation commander Elad Edri, praising the team's work and noting that Venezuela had severed diplomatic ties with Israel.
  • The delegation shared its expertise in earthquake response, drawing on experience gained from past international humanitarian missions.
  • Casualty figures vary across reports, with death tolls cited as over 2,300, over 3,000, and over 3,800, and differing figures for injuries and homelessness.
  • A preliminary Israeli team, led by Ambassador-designate to Mexico Yoed Edri and Brig. Gen. Elad Edri, met with local authorities ahead of the main delegation's arrival.