An Israeli search and rescue delegation has arrived in Venezuela to aid in recovery efforts following the multiple deadly earthquakes that rocked the South American country last week.
The delegation comprises 16 rescue personnel, along with other professionals from the Magen – Disaster & Emergency Management Company, Israel’s Ready for Rescue non-profit, and SmartAID.
Since landing in Valencia, the delegation has begun to work alongside local forces on the ground to locate and rescue survivors and provide humanitarian aid where possible.
The scale of the destruction across Venezuela is “exceptionally severe,” delegation members reported, noting the significant damage sustained by buildings, infrastructure hit, and ongoing rescue efforts.
The international community is also working to accelerate the delivery of aid. European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas spoke with Rodríguez on Sunday, noting that the EU has mobilized approximately €5 million in emergency assistance for the affected communities.
“I expressed the EU’s full solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our deepest condolences to families who have lost loved ones,” Kallas updated on her X/Twitter account.
Venezuela’s Jewish communities launch emergency fundraiser
The Committee of the Jewish Communities of Venezuela launched an emergency fundraising campaign on Sunday following the earthquake, which caused urgent humanitarian needs and casualties.
The campaign began with a goal of $2 million, and has raised $176,000 by Sunday evening to aid Jewish families impacted by the earthquake.
“About 80 Jewish families have lost their homes, and another 200 are afraid to return home. The community is currently assisting all of them,” a member of Caracas’s Jewish community told Walla.
The individual also emphasized that the community needed more external help than in the past due to a drastic reduction in numbers. According to his estimate, the community has gone from 20,000 to 3,000 people in recent years and now includes fewer families capable of providing stronger assistance.
In a public appeal, the community said its leaders, professionals, and volunteers were working around the clock to assist those affected and respond to the growing number of emergencies since the disaster.
“We need you. Every donation could mean the difference between life and death,” the appeal said.
Eli Leon and Yoav Etiel contributed to this report.
