Roey Weiser (Facebook)

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The number of Americans confirmed to be among the hundreds of people killed during the Hamas invasion of Israel is now at 22.

John Kirby, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, said Wednesday at the White House press briefing that the number of known dead was now 22, up from 14 on Tuesday and that the number of those missing had dropped from 20 to 17, as missing Americans were identified as dead.

He did not name the dead Americans, nor did he know how many of them were dual Israeli citizens, but he said the number was likely to rise.

“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,” Kirby said, affirming that Americans were among the people held hostage by Hamas, although he did not have a number.

The names of American victims, mostly with dual citizenship, have trickled out as deaths have been confirmed. They include Hayim Katsman, a peace activist murdered in his home, and Roey Weiser, a soldier who died trying to repel the first wave of infiltrators. Gili Adar, a member of the Young Judea movement, was attending an overnight outdoor party where Hamas terrorists massacred at least 260 people. Aryeh Ziering, whose parents are from New York and Maine, was a 27-year-old captain in the Israeli army’s dog-handling unit. Itay Glisko is being mourned by a large extended family in New Jersey, where he was born.

Israeli authorities have so far set the number of dead killed during the invasion by land, sea and air at over 1,200.

Gaza’s health ministry says more than 1,100 people have been killed in retaliatory airstrikes. Israeli officials also reported that 1,500 Hamas fighters died inside Israel’s borders during the assault.

This article originally appeared on JTA.org.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount