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WASHINGTON D.C.: This week, the U.S. State Department confirmed that following the surprise Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 Israelis and wounded more than three thousand, the number of Americans killed in the attack has been revised up to twenty-two.

“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of 22 U.S. citizens. We can confirm that there are unaccounted-for U.S. citizens, and we are working with our Israeli partners to determine their whereabouts,” department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Wednesday.

Two names of Americans killed have been released. The first American citizen identified was 32-year-old Hayim Katsman, his mother revealed to ABC News. Lotan Abir, 24, from Utah was also confirmed as one of the Americans killed, by Rabbi Avremi Zippel in speaking to ABC.

Fighters from the Islamist group Hamas in a surprise attack on Saturday killed at least 1,200 Israelis and abducted scores of others (latest confirmed account: 81) as gunmen attacked Israeli towns while thousands of rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. Israel responded by bombing Gaza, killing nearly 1,000 Palestinians so far, with daily, sometimes hourly airstrikes continuing.

File photo. Credit Ronaldo Schemidt | Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will arrive in Israel on Thursday for a two-day visit. He will also visit Jordan. The State Department says Blinken will reiterate his condolences for the victims of the attacks against Israel and condemn those attacks in the strongest terms. He will also reaffirm the United States’ solidarity with the government and people of Israel. The secretary will also discuss measures to bolster Israel’s security and underscore the United States’ ‘unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself.’

Gazan authorities on Wednesday said the number of Palestnians killed in retaliatory attacks by the Israel Defense Forces now total 1,055 people, with 5,184, wounded. They say some 535 residential buildings have been destroyed leaving around 250,000 homeless.

The IDF is preparing for a ground war in Gaza, having called up an unprecedented 300,000 reservists. Israel meantime has strengthened its sixteen-year blockade of Gaza by cutting off water, gas, electricity and food supplies.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan has told reporters the U.S. believes twenty Americans are missing but it is not clear whether they are being held hostage.

“We believe that there are 20 or more American who at this point are missing. But I want to underscore and stress, that does not mean necessarily that there are 20 or more American hostages. Just that is the number who are currently unaccounted for,” Sullivan said.