'20 or more Americans' unaccounted for in Israel, says WH

Washington, Oct 11

The White House has said that "there are 20 or more Americans" who currently remain unaccounted for since the Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7.

Addressing a regular press briefing on Tuesday, National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan told reporters: "We believe that there are 20 or more Americans 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.

"We will work hour by hour both to determine whether we can account for any of those Americans or to confirm exactly what the number of Americans are being held hostage."

He also said that "we do not know about their condition, and we cannot confirm the precise number of American citizens".

Sullivan also noted that 14 Americans have been killed in the ensuing violence so far, a figure that was also confirmed by President Joe Biden during his address on the conflict earlier on Tuesday.

“As you know, very sadly and tragically, the number of dead has risen with each passing hour, and that's true of the total number, it's also true of Americans, which has gone up just today from an earlier report this morning of 12 and 13 — now 14.”

The NSA also informed that on Biden's direction, "the US has surged ammunition and interceptors for Iron Dome" and also pledged to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that "American planes will be landing in Israel with those capabilities in the days ahead".

Regarding the movement of a carrier strike group into the Eastern Mediterranean, Sullivan clarified: "We did not move the carrier for Hamas. We moved the carrier to send a clear message of deterrence to other states or non-state actors that might seek to widen this war."

He, however, declined to weigh in on the possibility of a ground incursion into Gaza and how that might affect American hostages.

"I'm not going to get into the operational discussions that the President and the Prime Minister had," he said, referring to a phone call between Biden and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

"That is important for them to be able to keep in his discreet channel between them."

Also at the same briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the President held 17 calls and meetings over October 7, 8, and Monday with his national security team.

Since the attack began, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have held more than three dozen meetings, briefings and calls, she added.