At least four Americans killed in Hamas invasion of Israel

At least four Americans have been killed following the attacks by Hamas on Israel – with many more believed to be missing, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

The Democratic Senate leader said in a statement on Sunday that he had been informed about the fatalies in an unclassified briefing by Acting Deputy Secretary of State Toria Nuland and Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker on Sunday.

In the briefing, attended by Senate leaders and some members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr Schumer said they were warned the death toll will climb higher as the violence enters a third day on Monday.

“Unfortunately, we know there are Americans who were killed. The Administration told us that they know of four thus far, but, sadly, we know the toll will rise,” he said.

Mr Schumer condemned the attacks on Israwl saying “that he expressed my outrage at what happened”.

“The viciousness and brutality of this unprecedented attack from Hamas targeting innocent civilians — children, families, seniors — is overwhelming and heart wrenching,” he said.

“I asked the representatives of our Defense Department if they are giving Israel everything they need, and I was heartened that they said yes and that they are surging support. I asked them if they have denied any requests that Israel has made, and they said no. I urged them to ensure Israel has everything it needs to protect itself, and reiterated that the Senate stands ready to deliver on additional needs.

He added that he has told senators that he is planning to hold a classified briefing that they can receive in their states as soon as possible “so we can get additional details that could not be disclosed on this call”.

“The Administration said they are keeping a careful eye on Iran and keeping all pressure on them and their proxies to ensure the situation does not expand. I will continue to stay in close contact with Biden Administration national security officials as well as senior members of the Israeli government and monitor this situation on an ongoing basis.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned earlier on Sunday that Americans could be among the dead and said the government was making it a major priority to verify that information and rescue any US hostages.

“We are very actively working to verify those reports,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press.

Israel has also confirmed that Americans are among the scores of hostages taken by Hamas during the fighting.

“We have a lot of dual citizens in Israel,” Ron Dermer, Israeli minister for strategic affairs, told CNN’s State of the Union. “I suspect there are several, but we’re still trying to sort through all of all this information after this horrific surprise attack and we’ll make sure to put that information out so that the loved ones of these people who were killed and who are held hostage, they know as quickly as possible.”

The Independent has contacted the State Department for comment.

Citizens of Ireland, Germany, and the UK have also been reported missing or kidnapped in the conflict.

Numerous civilians have already been impacted by the two-day conflict.

At least 700 people in Israel have been killed and more than 400 people have been killed in Palestine, as well thousands more people who have been injured.

Nearly 74,000 people inside of Gaza have been displaced by the fighting, and Israeli forces struck a school being used as a United Nations shelter for displaced people, according to the UN.

“Civilians must be protected at all times, including during fighting,” the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said in a statement on Sunday. “UNRWA supports calls to reach an immediate ceasefire and a halt to the violence everywhere.”

The Israeli rescue service Zaka says its paramedics removed more than 260 bodies from a music festival that came under attack by Hamas militants.

The total figure of bodies found is expected to be higher, as other paramedic teams were also working in the area and Zaka added that the bodies “haven’t all been collected yet”.