The State Department confirmed on Sunday that the number of Americans killed in Hamas’ attacks on Israel currently stands at 30 with another 13 still unaccounted for, CBS News reported.
In a statement on Saturday, a State Department spokesperson said the missing included one lawful permanent resident of the United States, The Hill reported.
The State Department said on Sunday that the families of the victims have been contacted and the federal government is “working around the clock” to determine the whereabouts of the Americans still unaccounted for.
Additionally, US officials are working with Israel “on every aspect of the hostage crisis,” by sending government experts to advise the Israelis on hostage recovery and sharing intelligence.
CBS News reported that the IDF has been amassing personnel and equipment at the border with Gaza, saying on Saturday that it was planning to expand its aerial bombardment while integrating and coordinating an attack “from the air, sea, and land.”
While the anticipated ground invasion of Gaza has not yet been announced, the Israeli military has been warning civilians in Gaza City and northern Gaza to move further south for their safety.
According to the United Nations, the total number of civilians being told to head south amounts to about 1 million people. The only escape from Gaza is the Rafah border crossing in the south. However, Egyptian officials are keeping the crossing closed.
Meanwhile, Hamas has ordered Palestinians not to evacuate the north but to remain in their homes.
The death toll on both sides of the conflict continues to climb, with Israeli officials saying over 1,300 Israelis have been killed, including at least 276 military personnel, while another 3,200 Israelis have been wounded.
In Gaza, Hamas’ Health Ministry claimed on Sunday that Israeli airstrikes have killed about 2,670 and wounded around 9,600.
