Israel will send an 80-member humanitarian search and rescue delegation to Colombia on Thursday night to assist with rescue operations following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on August 10, 2026, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced.
The joint delegation, called “Alliance of Brothers,” includes personnel from the IDF, Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It will be led by Brigadier General (Res.) Yossi Pinto, commander of the National Search and Rescue Unit.
“Upon landing, the delegation will immediately begin its search and rescue mission. The goal of the mission is to provide immediate assistance with search and rescue efforts in order to save lives, utilizing the rapid mapping of impact sites,” the IDF wrote in a post on X.
🇮🇱🤝🇨🇴 In accordance with the directives of the political echelon, the joint humanitarian delegation of the IDF, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Alliance of Brothers”, will depart for Colombia following the earthquake that occurred across the… pic.twitter.com/sa2am4NbL9
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 13, 2026
“The delegation consists of 80 participants, including a rescue team and experts in various subjects, in active and reserve duty,” the military added.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, causing extensive damage and becoming the country’s strongest seismic event this century.
Local authorities have confirmed more than 200 deaths and thousands of injuries, while an unspecified number of people remain missing as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed structures.
More than 1,000 homes were destroyed and dozens of buildings collapsed. Part of a major hospital in Cali was among the structures damaged in the earthquake. Operations at several regional airports were also temporarily suspended because of structural damage.
The Israeli mission comes less than a week after Abelardo de la Espriella was inaugurated as Colombia’s new president. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar attended the inauguration last week.
Israel and Colombia have restored diplomatic relations, and de la Espriella announced that his country would recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
The decision made Colombia one of only two countries to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory.
