9 Americans killed following Hamas attacks against Israel: US official

The State Department said Monday that at least nine American citizens have been killed in the weekend Hamas attacks on Israel, raising the toll from four

The US State Department on Monday said that at least nine American citizens have been killed in the attacks by Hamas on Israel, raising the toll from four.

It says an undetermined number of American citizens remain missing and unaccounted for.

On Sunday, an official said that number was fluid and had ranged from between six to twelve. It is not clear whether the missing had been taken hostage, were killed or are in hiding.

The State Department is in touch with families and providing all appropriate consular assistance, according to spokesman Matthew Miller.

In a major escalation on October 7, Hamas launched a "surprise attack" on Israel, firing a barrage of rockets into the southern and central parts of the country. The attack caught Israel's military and intelligence completely off guard, bringing heavy battles to its streets for the first time in decades. As a retaliation, Israel declared war on Sunday.

Palestinian militants continued firing rockets, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. More than 1,200 people have died since Saturday. Around 700 people have been killed in Israel, a staggering toll for the Jewish nation. In Gaza, over 500 people have been killed.