One week after the devastating June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela, rescue teams from 24 nations — including an Israeli delegation — are still working. Official figures report some 2,000 dead, 10,000 wounded, and an estimated 46,000 missing. An Israeli delegation arrived yesterday led by Ambassador Yoed Magen, in the first direct contact between senior Israeli and Venezuelan officials since ties were severed in 2009.
On Thursday, an Israeli official delegation led by Ambassador Yoed Magen arrived in Venezuela for the first senior contact between the two countries since diplomatic ties were severed in 2009, marking a new phase in the week-long international rescue effort following the devastating June 24 earthquakes. The delegation's landing, reported at 11:53 Jerusalem time, follows a sequence of Israeli missions: an advance rescue team and a ZAKA delegation were already operating on the ground, as The Zioneer reported on Wednesday (published July 1, 19:06 Jerusalem).
Since the earthquakes struck, official figures have steadily risen: from 164 dead on June 25 (initial reports), to 2,295 by June 26, and currently approximately 2,000 dead, 10,000 wounded, and an estimated 46,000 missing, according to the latest official data cited by The Zioneer. The missing count has fluctuated—earlier unverified estimates placed it as high as 68,900 (June 28), while UN reports on June 29 suggested 46,000 missing and up to 10,000 dead. A reported miraculous rescue of a three-year-old boy on Wednesday (July 1) has been confirmed, though such finds are becoming rarer.
International rescue efforts have expanded to at least 24 nations, up from 16 reported on June 27, when the EU activated its civil protection mechanism with 520 rescuers. The Israeli presence, commanded by Home Front Command chief of staff Brig. Gen. Elad Edri and numbering 28 personnel, includes engineers and drone-mounted technology for survivor detection, as reported earlier in the week.
It remains unverified whether the Magen-led delegation will engage in any bilateral discussions beyond the immediate disaster response. The exact scope of the delegation's diplomatic mandate has not been officially detailed, and the missing count—especially the discrepancy between earlier high estimates and current official figures—has not been independently reconciled.
7 developments
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- DevelopingVenezuela: reports claim 68,900 still missing after earthquakes
- ConfirmedUN reportedly preparing for up to 10,000 dead in Venezuela earthquake; missing count climbs to 46,000
- StrongIsraeli rescue team reports extensive, extraordinary destruction in Venezuela quake zone
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