Rubio supervises key center for Gaza ceasefire

A critical mission with 200 international troops seeks to consolidate the truce and plan the stabilization of the territory.

An Epicenter of Hope in a Land of Conflict

On a day full of historical significance that palpitated in the air, Secretary of State Marco Rubio entered the very heart of an operation that could define the future of a burning region. His visit to the coordination center in Kiryat Gat was not a mere protocol tour; It was the inspection of a newly erected bulwark against the shadow of war, a beacon of fragile hope in the midst of chaos. This nervous center, directed by the United States, has become the headquarters from which the cessation of hostilities in the besieged Gaza Strip is monitored with an iron pulse, while the Trump administration deploys its pieces on the board to deploy a multinational security force to consolidate the most unstable truce of the decade.

Rubio’s presence was not an isolated event, but the most recent link in a chain of power that is urgently mobilized. The place had witnessed, just days before, the figure of Vice President JD Vance, who with his signature hand had inaugurated this titanic undertaking. He was followed by the influential shadows of envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, whose very name whispers of proximity to supreme power. Each visit was a clear message to the world: the stabilization of this fractured territory is a priority that does not admit failure.

RelatedRubio visits Israel amid escalating war in Gaza

The Architecture of a Peace Forged with Effort

Within the walls of this epicenter of diplomacy, a joint force of approximately 200 American soldiers works side by side with the Israeli military and delegations from allied nations. Their mission, as monumental as it is quixotic, is to weave plans for the stabilization and reconstruction of Gaza, a territory whose wounds still bleed. The scene that an Associated Press reporter was able to capture was a microcosm of the international community: Flags of Cyprus, Greece, France, Germany, Australia and Canada waved together, a mosaic of determination in the face of adversity. It was a powerful image, a whisper that unity was possible even in the most unlikely of places.

With the suppressed emotion of someone who knows the world is watching, the Secretary of State declared: “I think we have a lot to be proud of in the first 10 days, 11 days, 12 days of implementation, where we have faced real challenges along the way.” Each of his words weighed like a stone, acknowledging the obstacles overcome without hiding the enormity of the path ahead. In a strategic move that resonated with the force of a declaration of principles, Rubio appointed Steven Fagin, the experienced ambassador to Yemen, to command the civilian branch of this colossal effort. In command of the military machinery, a figure of indisputable authority: Admiral Brad Cooper of the Central Command, whose leadership would be the backbone of the entire operation. At this crossroads, the fate of millions hangs in the balance, and every decision, every alliance, every day of calm, is a battle won in a war for peace.

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Venezuela raises the death toll from earthquakes to 589

589 dead and 2,980 injured after the earthquakes. La Guaira will be militarized.

The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, updated this Friday the number of victims from the earthquakes that hit the country. The death toll amounts to 589 and there are 2,980 injured, more than doubling the previous toll of 235 deaths. The number is expected to increase, as thousands of people remain missing.

“Unfortunately, we now have 589 deaths,” Rodríguez declared before military and civilian officials. “We will go to save the trapped people, we work tirelessly on this task,” he added.

La Guaira under military control

The coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas and near the epicenter of both earthquakes, will be militarized. It is the most affected area. At least 100 buildings, including residential skyscrapers, collapsed in the city of the same name.

The authorities have intensified rescue efforts and are committed to recovering the devastated areas. The situation continues to evolve as evaluations progress. The magnitude of the earthquakes has caused a humanitarian crisis, and efforts are being made to provide assistance to those affected.

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Rescuers improvise due to lack of equipment in La Guaira

Neighbors dig with their hands to rescue those trapped after the earthquake.

Freehand rescue in La Guaira

Twenty-seven hours after the earthquake, desperation is growing among the relatives of those still under the rubble. Rescue teams are scarce and lack machinery to move the mountains of concrete. In various parts of the city, the residents themselves dig with their bare hands, together with firefighters and volunteers.

Many of them maintained communication with their trapped loved ones, speaking to them to keep them conscious. As the hours passed, the voices became weaker until they died out forever.

“My wife couldn’t get there. She was bathing when the tremors hit. We tried to escape. I managed to get out of the building, but she fell, hit her head and was trapped. I know she was left naked, I would like to reach her, at least to cover her body,” said a visibly affected man through tears.

Urgent call

The situation is critical. Rescuers urgently need tools, heavy machinery and logistical support to continue their work. Meanwhile, the community organizes as best it can, moving debris with their own hands, in a race against time to find survivors.

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UN reports 6.8 million people affected by earthquakes in Venezuela

UN preliminary evaluation estimates 6.8 million people affected in Venezuela.

UN Evaluation

After the two strong earthquakes that shook Venezuela on Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that up to 6.8 million people could have been affected. According to the UN, approximately two million people reside in the Caracas metropolitan area alone. This is a preliminary evaluation that will be updated as work continues in the affected areas.

The IOM notes that the collapse of buildings and damage to essential infrastructure limits access to basic services. The priority remains the search for survivors in the rubble. UN agencies warn that the number of displaced people will increase as new damage is detected and the hardest hit areas are evacuated.

Government actions and international response

During a press conference, UN agencies reported that around twenty emergency hospitals in the states of La Guaira, Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, Zulia, Yaracuy and Lara, as well as in the Capital District, suffered structural damage.

The government of interim president Delcy Rodríguez requested the United Nations to send three emergency medical teams with surgical capacity. One of them has already left from the United States. Caracas also requested medicines, equipment and medical supplies, which the UN is acquiring and preparing for transfer via Panama or directly to Venezuela.

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