An Israeli advance team recently landed in Venezuela as part of an aid delegation sent following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country, with the goal of helping local authorities in recovery efforts.
The advance team is being led on behalf of the Foreign Ministry by Yoed Magen, Israel’s incoming ambassador to Mexico, and on behalf of the IDF by Brig. Gen. Elad Edri, chief of staff of the Home Front Command and commander of the military delegation.
Immediately after landing, members of the delegation began a series of working meetings with local authorities, emergency officials and other partners. The meetings are aimed at building an updated assessment of the situation, mapping needs on the ground, planning joint activity and completing preparations before the operational phase begins.
Additional members of the Israeli delegation are expected to join the advance team in the coming days. Once preparations are complete, Israeli experts will begin working alongside local authorities, sharing knowledge and experience accumulated by Israel in responding to earthquakes, emergency situations and humanitarian aid missions around the world.
The mission comes as Venezuela is still dealing with the aftermath of twin earthquakes that struck on June 24 and caused widespread destruction across parts of the country. Reports from the region have described heavy damage in Caracas, La Guaira and other affected areas, with rescue teams continuing to search through collapsed buildings while emergency services struggle to meet the scale of the disaster.
International rescue and medical teams from several countries have already joined the response, as authorities work to locate survivors, treat the wounded and provide shelter and supplies to families whose homes were destroyed or damaged.
(Photo: IDF)
The disaster has also exposed the vulnerability of Venezuela’s infrastructure and emergency systems after years of economic crisis. Reports from the country have described shortages of equipment, overwhelmed hospitals, disrupted services and civilians taking part in rescue efforts with limited tools.
Israeli officials said the delegation’s first task is to coordinate closely with Venezuelan authorities and identify where Israeli assistance can be most effective. The team is expected to focus on professional support for recovery and emergency response, rather than acting independently of local command structures.
Israel has deployed similar delegations in past disasters around the world, drawing on the Home Front Command’s experience in search-and-rescue operations, field assessments and coordination with civilian emergency authorities.
In the coming days, the Israeli team is expected to expand its activity as the rest of the delegation arrives and the mission moves from assessment to field work.