The IDF and Foreign Ministry announced in a joint statement that the joint aid delegation in Venezuela is expected to be extended at Caracas' request. An additional Home Front Command search-and-rescue force departed yesterday and is expected to land today, commanded by HFC Search and Rescue Unit head Yossi Pinto. The force will integrate into the mission to ensure operational continuity.
The extension of the joint aid delegation to Venezuela was announced Thursday morning by the IDF and Foreign Ministry, with an additional Home Front Command search-and-rescue force, led by Brig. Gen. (res.) Yossi Pinto, having departed yesterday and expected to land today. The force will integrate into the existing mission to ensure operational continuity, following the Venezuelan government's request for an extended stay.
The Zioneer reported on Wednesday July 8 at 07:53 Jerusalem that Interim President Delcy Rodríguez had met with the Israeli delegation — a rare high-level contact between countries with no formal ties since 2009. Throughout Wednesday's reports, the desk detailed that Rodríguez requested an extension from Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a two-week extension, and that the president approved the Israeli-formulated national rehabilitation plan. The initial deployment of the joint delegation was reported by The Zioneer on June 30, amid the changed political landscape following the fall of the Maduro regime.
The mission, comprising personnel from the Foreign Ministry, the IDF, the Defense Ministry, and the Home Front Command, has been conducting surveys of residential areas and hospitals, as The Zioneer reported on July 7. The international rescue effort for the earthquake swelled to 16 nations, with the EU activating a civil protection mechanism, as reported on June 27. The current reinforcement underscores the ongoing Israeli commitment.
The new duration of the extended stay has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear whether the arrival of an additional force signals a longer-term presence beyond the approved two-week extension.
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