A man born in the Gulf region disappeared after a music festival attack in Israel

Hirsch Goldberg Bollen, 23, attended the festival and sent his family chilling text messages, including “I love you” and “I’m sorry,” on Saturday before he stopped responding. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. The newspaper reported that Goldberg Bolin, who was born in Berkeley, left his home in Israel on Friday evening around 11 p.m. to attend the festival.

Goldberg Bolin reportedly moved to Israel with his parents when he was seven and worked as a paramedic and waiter as he saved money for a trip to India after completing his mandatory military service earlier this year.

The US Embassy in Israel did not respond to SFGATE’s request for further information by press time.

The Associated Press reported that thousands of young people attended the music event in southern Israel near the Gaza border, and the attack is now considered the worst civilian massacre in Israel. Hamas members shot, captured and carried out bombings on hundreds of people, and some surviving festival-goers hid for more than six hours awaiting rescue, the Associated Press reported.

After the traumatic attack, Gulberg Pauline’s family He told The Jerusalem Post They hope to find him alive. “We just want him to come home and be safe,” his father, Jonathan Bolin, told the outlet.

On Monday, Israel increased its air strikes on the Gaza Strip and closed off food, fuel and other supplies in response to the deadly incursion by Hamas militants, as the death toll in the war rose to nearly 1,600 people on both sides. Hamas also escalated, vowing to kill Israeli prisoners if attacks target civilians without warning. The surprise weekend attack led to street battles for the first time in decades and led to the highest death toll in Israel since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria.

As of Monday, at least nine U.S. citizens had been killed over the weekend, but an unknown number of Americans remained unaccounted for or unaccounted for, the AP reported. According to officials, this number could range from six to 12 people, but they did not specify whether the individuals were believed to be in hiding, being held hostage or killed.

After the US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, left his post in July, the United States no longer has an ambassador to Israel; Jack Lew, a former White House chief of staff, was nominated by President Joe Biden last month. White House officials asked the Senate to make a “swift” effort to formally elect Liu. US officials said the government was providing assistance and resources to Israel.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.