An Israeli rescue delegation working in Venezuela’s earthquake disaster zone encountered an unexpected and moving tribute while inspecting the home of a local family in the La Guaira region.
Home Front Command engineers Itai Shtadler and Stav Daron arrived at the property as part of the delegation’s effort to assess buildings damaged in the earthquake.
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‘An expression of the human connection formed during the mission.’ The Israeli delegation at the family’s home in Venezuela
As with every structure, the team first asked the homeowners for permission to carry out an engineering inspection through an interpreter. The engineers examined the exterior to identify the type of building and its structural framework before entering the house to inspect its beams and walls.
When they entered the living room, they noticed a large Israeli flag hanging on the wall. It was immediately clear that this was no ordinary flag, but one that had been sewn by hand.
The engineers were surprised, having not expected to find an Israeli flag inside the home of a local Christian family. When they asked about it, the family proudly explained that they had made it themselves and displayed it because of their Christian faith, their appreciation for the Jewish people and as a gesture to the Israeli delegation.
For members of the mission, the discovery was especially emotional because it came in the heart of an area marked by destruction and loss. As a gesture of gratitude and solidarity, one of the team members removed the Israeli flag patch from his uniform and presented it to the family.
The Israeli delegation in Venezuela receives gestures of appreciation from local residents
“Throughout the mission, we were met with warmth, trust and affection from the Venezuelan people and authorities,” said Shtadler, a reserve engineer with the Home Front Command.
“Finding an Israeli flag inside a damaged home was an especially moving moment for us. It was another expression of the human connection formed during the mission and of what the Israeli delegation’s presence meant to many of the people we met along the way.”
The Israeli Home Front Command delegation in Venezuela
(Photo: IDF)
Ambassador Yoed Magen, who heads the Foreign Ministry’s aid delegation, said the encounter was one of many examples of the support shown to the Israeli team during its work in Venezuela.
“This story is one of many that illustrate the warmth, trust and affection the Israeli delegation received throughout its activity in Venezuela,” Magen said.
“Again and again, we encountered moving human gestures from the public and the authorities, from residents who came out to applaud the delegation as it began its work to personal stories such as this one.
“These moments demonstrate that humanitarian assistance is not limited to professional knowledge and engineering. It is also about building trust, human connection and hope,” he said.