Full Breakdown
Israeli Humanitarian Mission Assists Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes
7/8/2026, 12:10:45 AM
Earthquake Aftermath and Israeli Response
On 24 June 2026 twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 3,342 people, injuring 16,470, leaving 17,345 homeless and collapsing nearly 200 buildings. Israel responded with a mixed humanitarian team. The delegation comprised roughly 30 Home Front Command engineers, volunteers from ZAKA’s international rescue unit (engineers, paramedics, first-responders), and personnel from Magen, Ready for Rescue and SmartAID. ZAKA units continued search-and-rescue in unstable structures, while the IDF contingent focused on structural assessments, demolition planning and debris removal.
Background and Diplomatic Context
Israel and Venezuela have had no formal diplomatic relations since 2009. After the quakes, Caracas formally requested Israeli expertise, prompting a rare cooperation. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez publicly thanked Israel, noting that the Venezuelan Jewish community and Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Cohen facilitated contact. The mission therefore carries both humanitarian and symbolic significance for a possible thaw in bilateral ties.
Key Participants
- Brig. Gen. Elad Edri – Chief of Staff, IDF Home Front Command, led the engineering team.
- Nachman Diksztejn – Commander, ZAKA Europe, headed the volunteer rescue unit.
- Guy Mansour – ZAKA field commander overseeing risk assessments.
- Haim Weingarten – ZAKA deputy director of operations.
- Yoed Magen – Israeli Foreign Ministry representative, later ambassador-designate to Mexico.
- President Delcy Rodríguez – Interim president of Venezuela.
- Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Cohen – Coordinated the outreach through Venezuela’s Jewish community.
Data and Statistics
- Confirmed deaths: 3,342 (Venezuelan Information Ministry).
- Injured: 16,470.
- Homeless: 17,345.
- Missing (unofficial estimate): ? 41,000.
- Buildings collapsed: ? 200.
- Structures slated for assessment: ? 1,300.
- Israeli experts: ? 30 engineers; ZAKA volunteers: unspecified but described as a “team of disaster specialists.”
Official Statements and Responses
Edri stressed that the Venezuelan government specifically asked for engineering assistance to classify buildings for demolition, renovation or continued use, calling the work “critical for the rehabilitation phase.” He added that the team operated in IDF uniforms with “great pride” and faced no safety concerns. Diksztejn highlighted the shift from survivor searches to dignified recovery of victims, noting continuous risk assessments in unstable sites. Rodríguez praised the Israeli team as “extremely professional and highly qualified,” thanking Rabbi Cohen for facilitating the mission. Local authorities and police reportedly expressed gratitude and provided protection throughout the operation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As long as there is even the slightest chance of finding survivors, we will continue searching without giving up,” — Nachman Diksztejn, ZAKA Europe commander
- “Unlike past missions, we were asked to help rehabilitate the country. At the request of the Venezuelan government, of course,” — Brig. Gen. Elad Edri, IDF Home Front Command
- “I would like to report that yesterday we received an extremely professional and highly qualified group from Israel, which came to us following contact through Venezuela’s Jewish community.” — President Delcy Rodríguez
- “Every entry into a damaged building requires a professional risk assessment, full coordination with all agencies involved, and quick decisions in the field,” — Guy Mansour, ZAKA field commander
- “We proposed a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the damaged area.” — Brig. Gen. Elad Edri
Impact and Potential Diplomatic Shift
The mission’s technical assistance and visible cooperation have been cited as a possible first step toward normalizing relations after 17 years of diplomatic silence. Venezuelan officials’ public gratitude and the warm reception of Israeli uniforms suggest a mutual willingness to engage on humanitarian grounds.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
Official sources list 3,342 deaths, while an unofficial tally of missing persons stands at roughly 41,000, indicating a gap in casualty accounting. The exact number of ZAKA volunteers and the timeline for completing assessments of all 1,300 buildings remain unspecified.
What’s Next
Israeli engineers will continue mapping and recommending demolition or renovation of damaged structures, while ZAKA volunteers maintain search-and-recovery where feasible. The delegation is scheduled to depart in early July, though extensions remain possible pending Venezuelan requests. Ongoing collaboration may influence future diplomatic outreach between Caracas and Jerusalem.
