US Death Toll Rises in Israel-Hamas War, White House Official Says

The number of Americans known to have been killed after Hamas launched its unprecedented attack on Israel last weekend has risen to 27, a White House official said Thursday.

The death toll is up from 22 Americans who were identified Wednesday as having died in the war and continues to change as more information emerges on the U.S. citizens caught up in the latest outbreak of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We're doing everything we can to support and inform the families" of the victims, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.

In addition to the Americans who have died, another 14 U.S. citizens remain unaccounted for, Kirby said.

Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, also kidnapped dozens of hostages as part of the deadliest attack in Israel's history.

Americans are believed to be among those being held by Hamas, but there is little information about their location or condition or how many U.S. citizens may be held by Hamas. The U.S. is limiting the intelligence it makes public to aid efforts to secure their release, Kirby said.

"It's never a good idea to negotiate for the transfer of hostages or detainees in public," Kirby said, adding that U.S. officials "take seriously our responsibility" to bring American hostages home.

The unfolding hostage crisis adds a volatile element to the violence unfolding in Israel and Gaza, adding another complicating factor for President Biden as he weighs the U.S. response to the fighting.

The White House has said it is in the early stages of working with Israeli officials to free the U.S. hostages. But it's unclear how the Israel Defense Forces will simultaneously manage a search and rescue mission for dozens of hostages while also carrying out a large-scale incursion into Gaza, which is home to more than 2 million civilians.

So far more than 1,300 people in Israel have been killed in the fighting, according to Israel. More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in Gaza.

As the war continues, warnings have increased about a humanitarian crisis in Gaza once Israel launches its expected ground invasion.

Israel has already ordered a blockade of Gaza, cutting off food, water, fuel and electricity while launching airstrikes ahead of the broader assault on Hamas.

Israel has said it plans to eliminate Hamas and leaders have warned of a long war in the region.