The Media Line: Israel Sends Rescue Teams to Venezuela After Earthquakes Kill at Least 1,450, Leave Tens of Thousands Missing  

Israel Sends Rescue Teams to Venezuela After Earthquakes Kill at Least 1,450, Leave Tens of Thousands Missing  

By The Media Line Staff  

Israel has dispatched search and rescue teams to Venezuela following last week’s twin earthquakes that killed at least 1,450 people, injured more than 3,200, and left tens of thousands unaccounted for, as Israeli humanitarian organizations joined efforts to assist survivors and assess urgent needs.  

The Israeli delegation includes 16 rescue personnel along with specialists from Magen – Disaster & Emergency Management Company, the Ready for Rescue non-profit, and SmartAID. Team members are providing humanitarian assistance and supporting local rescue forces in efforts to locate survivors.  

The mission also includes experts focused on mental health and psychological first aid, water, sanitation and hygiene, and rapid assessments of humanitarian needs in affected communities.  

IsraAID Colombia, which has worked with Venezuelan communities in Colombia since the height of the Venezuelan refugee crisis in 2019, has maintained partnerships with local Venezuelan organizations in recent years. Those efforts have included remote training in mental health and protection to help communities prepare for future emergencies.  

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck northern Venezuela, causing widespread destruction.   

Authorities have reported up to 50,000 people missing in official databases, although thousands have already been located. The disaster also caused the total collapse of 189 buildings and damaged 38 hospitals. The United Nations estimated the economic impact at approximately $6.7 billion.  

The Committee of the Jewish Communities of Venezuela launched an emergency fundraising campaign on Sunday to assist those affected by the disaster. The campaign began with a goal of $2 million and had raised $176,000 by Sunday evening to support Jewish families impacted by the earthquakes.  

“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.  

Israeli rescue personnel continue working alongside local authorities as humanitarian organizations expand relief efforts in communities affected by the earthquakes.