Venezuela thanks Israeli aid team as diplomatic ice thaws after 17 years

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez praises professional Israeli delegation amid hope for renewed relations.

Venezuela thanks Israeli aid team as diplomatic ice thaws after 17 years — Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez thanked Israel on Thursday for the aid delegation that arrived following the devastating earthquakes, marking the first high-level contact after 17 years of diplomatic estrangement.[^1][^2] The earthquakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck last week on Wednesday evening, with the official death toll at 2,295 and over 38,000 missing.[^3] Yesterday, eight days after the disaster, a 43-year-old man was rescued alive from the rubble in La Guaira. Rodríguez said at a press conference: "We received a very professional and skilled group from Israel, which came following contact with the Jewish community." The Israeli delegation, consisting of 28 people, includes engineers from the Home Front Command and Foreign Ministry representatives, and has begun implementing an infrastructure rehabilitation protocol and situation assessment.[^1][^3] Venezuela's Chief Rabbi, Yitzhak Cohen, told ynet: "This was the first step. We are almost certain that it will advance another step forward, but there is no doubt that it was a moving gesture."[^1] The gesture comes amid a broader regional landscape: Iran today began mass funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, expected to draw 15 to 20 million people, while Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree threatened to attack Saudi airports if "aggression" continues.[^4][^5] The contrast between Iran's isolation and Venezuela's tentative opening underscores shifting dynamics. Whether Israel's aid translates into a diplomatic breakthrough remains uncertain, but as Cohen noted, the first step has been taken. Europe's Heatwave Deaths and Other Health Risks — At least 4,700 people died in the severe heatwave that struck Western Europe in late June 2026, according to reports from Maariv . In France, deaths in private homes surged by 91%, and nursing homes and care facilities saw a 37% rise, while the Paris area experienced a 63% increase in excess mortality . Belgium reported around 1,200 excess deaths, and the Netherlands about 480 additional cases, mostly among those aged 80 and over . The scale of the disaster raises quest