Israel Gaza: US death toll after Hamas attack jumps to 22

At least 22 American citizens are confirmed to have died after Hamas launched its deadly attack on Israel, the US state department has said.

At least another 17 Americans are missing, the White House confirmed.

It is unclear how many of those may been taken captive by the Palestinian militant group.

The death toll from the attack in Israel has reached 1,200. More than 1,100 people have died in Israeli air strikes on Gaza.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the updated figure on Wednesday, posting on X: “We join families in Israel, in the US, and around the world mourning the loss of loved ones killed in Hamas’s heinous attacks.

“We continue efforts to secure the release of those hostages, and the US remains steadfast and unwavering in our support for Israel,” he wrote.

White House spokesman John Kirby warned the numbers could rise: “I think we all need to steel ourselves for the very distinct possibility that these numbers will keep increasing, and that we may in fact, find out that more Americans are part of the hostage pool,” he said.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion with Jewish leaders on Thursday, President Biden accused Hamas of mounting a “campaign of pure cruelty” and said it was among the darkest days for the Jewish community since the Holocaust.

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