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The spokesperson for the National Security Council confirmed that nine Americans have been killed amid the fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters following a massive surprise attack over the weekend.
"At this time, we can confirm the death of nine U.S. citizens. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected and wish those injured a speedy recovery. We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in touch with our Israeli partners, particularly the local authorities," the spokesperson said in a statement.
An unknown number of Americans are also missing, the State Department said.
"We are in close contact with the government of Israel as they continue to conduct security operations to locate missing U.S. citizens.. and we are, of course, in close contact with the families of these nine deceased Americans and offering them any consular assistance that we can provide," State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told CNN.
Overall, the war has left over 1,100 people dead and hundreds more injured.
Fighting is expected to intensify in the coming days as Israeli forces prepare for a ground offensive in Gaza, which is home to over two million Palestinians and is "one of the world's most densely populated territories."
"We have to go in. We can't negotiate now," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Joe Biden during a phone conversation, according to a report by Axios.