IDF:
After 12 days of activity at the impact sites: The “Alliance of Brothers” delegation completed its mission in Colombia and has returned to Israel
The Commander of the Home Front Command at a ceremony marking the return of the “Alliance of Brothers” delegation to Colombia: "Today we can say - there are no missing persons left in the city of Cali”
The “Alliance “of Brothers” delegation, led by the Home Front Command and in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a ceremony yesterday (Tuesday) with the Commander of the Home Front Command, MG Shai Kelper, at the Home Front Command base, upon the delegation’s return to Israel and after completing 12 days of activity in Colombia following the earthquake that struck the country.
The delegation left Israel on Thursday, August 13, 2026, following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia and caused great destruction in the west and center of the country.
The delegation consisted of approximately 80 rescuers, engineers, and experts in various fields, both regular and reserve, and worked in close cooperation with the authorities, local rescue forces, and international organizations.
The delegation operated at several major destruction sites in the city of Cali with the aim of locating and rescuing missing persons. During the operation, and in cooperation with local forces, 29 missing persons were located and rescued. Upon completion of the mission, no additional missing persons remained in the city.
Alongside the rescue efforts, Home Front Command engineers worked together with local professionals to map and classify damaged structures and to formulate a situational picture, with the aim of assisting in the reconstruction stages.
During its activities, the “Alliance “of Brothers” delegation brought with it the knowledge and professional experience that Home Front Command personnel had gained in dealing with destruction scenes and complex emergency events in Israel and in aid missions around the world.
Upon completing the tasks assigned to it and transferring the knowledge and professional tools to local authorities, the delegation ended its activities in Colombia and returned to Israel via an Air Force plane.
From the words of the Commander of the Home Front Command, Major General Shai Kelper:
"I met a delegation gifted with a sense of mission and endless motivation to save lives, reach the trapped and missing and bring them back to their loved ones, for a proper burial.
Today, we can say - there are no missing people left in the city of Cali.
We will continue to assist wherever needed, to stand ready for any mission and to lend a hand to any country that requests it,
along with abiding by our alertness and readiness for any scenario that may confront our country."
The commander of the expedition, Brigadier General (res.) Yossi Pinto, also spoke:
“The willingness to leave everything in an instant, to cross the world, to stand at the front and say: We are here, ready for any mission — this is the Israeli spirit of the delegation. I thank the members of the delegation for their dedication, professionalism, determination and perseverance.
And when the call comes again, we will prepare the rescue package anew and say as one - here we are.”
Attached are the following:
A video on the subject:
https://bit.ly/4qzwCkY
Photos of the subject:
https://idfanc.activetrail.biz/ANC437502