Seventeen British nationals including children are reportedly dead or missing in Israel, the BBC has reported, citing an official source.
The new figure came on Wednesday after previous reports suggested the number was “around 10”.
The deaths of Nathanel Young, a British man serving in the Israeli army, and Scot Bernard Cowan have been confirmed.
Mr Young, 20, was serving with the Israeli Defence Services when he was killed on the Gaza border on Saturday.
The family of Mr Cowan, 57, who grew up around Glasgow, confirmed that he was murdered on Saturday by Hamas, MSP for Eastwood Jackson Carlaw said.
Mr Cowan’s family told the BBC: “We are grieving the loss of our son and brother, Bernard Cowan, who was horrifically murdered on Saturday during the surprise terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas.
“We ask for privacy at this time while we process this huge loss to our family, both at home and in Israel, and to the Jewish community in Glasgow where he will be sorely missed.”
Mr Young, a former pupil at JFS Jewish school in north London, had been living in the Bayit Shel Benji lone-soldier house in Raanana, according to the Jewish News.
His brother, Eliot Young, said in a statement released to the BBC: “Nathanel was full of life and the life of the party. He loved his family and friends and was loved by everyone.
“He loved music and was a talented DJ, DJing both on base and at Benji’s House, the lone-soldier house where he was living.”
Jack Marlowe, 26, who went to the same London school as Mr Young, is believed to be missing. He was providing security at the music festival near the Gaza border where Hamas gunman killed at least 260 people.
His mother Lisa told the Jewish News on Sunday that the last message she had from her son was one saying he loved her.
“He was doing security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30am to say all these rockets were flying over,” she said.
“Then, at about 5.30am, he texted to say ‘Signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you’, and that he loves me.”
The Israeli Embassy in London confirmed that London-born Mr Marlowe, who is reported to have moved to Israel two years ago was missing but it had not been confirmed that he had been kidnapped.
British photographer Dan Darlington and his German girlfriend Carolin Bohl are feared to be dead.
Mr Darlington’s sister Shelley on social media said he was “murdered” at Nir Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel but his death has not been officially confirmed.
The Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The situation is fast-moving and complicated. A significant number of British-Israeli dual nationals have been involved. We stand ready to support families who are concerned.”
Mr Cleverly arrived in Israel on Wednesday to demonstrate the UK’s unwavering solidarity with the Israeli people following Hamas’ terrorist attacks, the Government said.
