Number of Americans Killed In Hamas Attack In Israel Increases to 27; 14 Remain Unaccounted For

The number of Americans killed during the attack in Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas has increased to 27, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday.

Kirby said 14 American citizens remain unaccounted for and less than a handful are believed to be held as hostages. Information about the hostages has been hard to ascertain, he said.

"We're obviously doing everything we can to support and inform the families," he said. "Now sadly, five more families have now gotten the worst possible news that any family can conceive of getting and we're going to stay in touch with them as appropriate. Same goes for those family members of those who are unaccounted for."

One of the sources of information for the U.S. government on hostages has been their families, he said.

"Some of these families actually saw their loved ones being abducted and taken away so they have been a significant source of information, as well," he said.

Kirby noted that it's a common tactic for Hamas to break up the hostages and move them in small groups, and the administration can't rule that out as a possibility.

Kirby also said the Biden administration is aware of limited availability on commercial flights out of Israel. Starting Friday, he said, the U.S. government will arrange charter flights for U.S. citizens to provide transportation from Israel to sites in Europe.

The details are still being worked out, he said. The administration is also exploring other options to help Americans leave by land and by sea, he said, adding that American citizens in need of assistance should complete an intake form on the website, travel.state.gov.

As for Americans trapped in Gaza, Kirby said the first priority is to allow for safe passage. At the moment, they can't leave, so there is no physical means of permitting transit. The U.S. is discussing with the Israelis and Egyptians a "safe passage corridor" so that people who want to are able to leave. At that point, the U.S. will be better able to help with onward travel, he said.