The IDF said its Home Front Command is continuing what it described as the longest humanitarian assistance mission in the command's history, with Israeli experts assisting Venezuelan authorities as the response to the catastrophic earthquake in the country shifts from emergency operations to long-term rehabilitation.
Speaking from La Guaira near Caracas, Commander of the National Search and Rescue Unit and head of the emergency mission to Venezuela, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yossi Pinto, said the area had suffered extensive destruction, with hundreds of buildings damaged along the coastline.
Pinto said the Israeli delegation, consisting of approximately 32 experts, is now in its third week of operations and is supporting Venezuelan authorities in the transition from the immediate emergency response phase to rehabilitation.
"Our primary effort is focused on offering the knowledge, experience, and capabilities we have accumulated in Israel and around the world," Pinto said. "We are helping develop a national situational assessment, supporting decision-making processes, setting priorities, and laying the groundwork for the long-term rehabilitation effort."
He noted that the rehabilitation phase is expected to continue for many months and possibly years, adding that the mission aims to provide professional tools to help address the challenges ahead.
Pinto said the Israeli team is working in close cooperation with local authorities, who have been receptive to the mission's recommendations and insights. He added that the continued presence of the Israeli delegation after most international missions have concluded provides significant value to the overall effort.
"I hope that our joint work and the tools we are leaving behind will help Venezuela address the rehabilitation challenge as effectively as possible in the years ahead," Pinto said.
