Israel Sends Quake-Relief Team to Venezuela

An Israeli aid and disaster-response delegation departed for quake-struck Venezuela Tuesday under Foreign Ministry and IDF Home Front Command auspices, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties since 2009. The official Israeli notice says the team includes Home Front Command engineering professionals and Foreign Ministry representatives; Times of Israel, Ynet, JPost, JNS and i24 identify Ambassador Yoed Magen as the Foreign Ministry lead and Brig. Gen. Elad Edri as commander of the military component. Reports put the death toll above 1,700, with Times of Israel citing at least 1,943. Gideon Sa'ar framed the mission as humanitarian, a reminder that Israel shows up for disaster victims even where politics are frozen.