UPDATE - US embassy staffer found dead in Israel

ADDS STATE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT

By Anadolu Staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – An American staffer at the US Embassy in Israel was found dead, the embassy said on Monday.

"We can confirm the death of an American employee of the US Embassy in Jerusalem,” an embassy spokesperson said in a brief statement.

“Foul play is not suspected. We have no further details to share," the spokesperson added, without providing any details about the circumstances of the employee’s death.

There was no comment yet from Israeli authorities on the report.

US State Department has also confirmed the death of the "direct hire employee" of the Embassy and did not to provide more information on the identity of the employee due to privacy considerations.

"I can confirm the death of a direct hiring employee of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. There's not much more I can say at this point due to privacy considerations," Spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters during his briefing.

Miller declined to provide further information as there are steps to undertake including next kin notification.

The US in 2018 moved its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in a move not followed by most of the international community.