By Servet Gunerigok
WASHINGTON (AA) - Twenty-two Americans were killed and 17 are unaccounted for after a Hamas attack in Israel, the White House said Wednesday.
"We know that these numbers are likely to increase in the days ahead," said spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre at a news conference.
Speaking after Jean-Pierre, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby noted that a number of those Americans are being held hostage by Hamas.
"I think we all need to steel ourselves for the very distinct possibility that these numbers will keep increasing. And that we may in fact find out that more Americans are part of the hostage pool," said Kirby.
The State Department offered its "deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected," in a statement to Anadolu.
Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.
The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel -- a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea and air.
Hamas said it was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.
The Israeli military launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip in response.
That response was extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.
More than 2,300 people have been killed in the current bout of violence, including at least 1,100 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis.
*Iclal Turan contributed to the story