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There's at least half a dozen American citizens who are unaccounted for in Israel following deadly attacks from Hamas ... including a mother and daughter visiting from Illinois.

President Joe Biden says 14 Americans have already died in the Hamas terrorist attack, with the death toll already standing at 1,700 and counting.

It's unclear if the six Americans reported missing in Gaza are dead or alive, but their families are holding out hope for a safe return ... and Biden says more Americans are likely among those who have been taken hostage by terrorists.

In addition to the Illinois mother and her teen daughter, there's also a 23-year-old who was at the music festival where Hamas attacked and took hostages; a soldier with the Israeli Defense Force; a 35-year-old father of two; and a 66-year-old grandmother.

Judith Tai Raanan and Natalie Raanan traveled from their Chicago-area suburb to Israel last month to visit relatives, and they were reported missing during Saturday's attack and are feared to have been kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen, their family told ABC 7 Chicago.

Natalie graduated from high school this past spring and their Illinois synagogue is praying she and her mother are safe.

Hersch Goldberg-Polin was at the desert music festival that became a target for Hamas terrorists ... and his parents told the Jerusalem Post he texted them Saturday morning saying "I love you" and "I'm sorry" before going radio silent.

Hersch was born in Berkley, CA before moving to Israel with his family in 2008 ... he had just celebrated a birthday before going to the rave, where Hamas killed hundreds of festivalgoers.

Itay Chen's a 19-year-old dual citizen serving in the IDF and he's been "missing in action" from his post in Gaza since Saturday, his father told CNN.

Chen's father says his son basically vanished along with his military unit and the family is hopeful he surfaces in time to make it to his younger brother's upcoming Bar Mitzvah in Italy.

Adrienne Neta, a mother of four and grandmother of seven, is thought to have been taken hostage by Hamas ... her family told Fox News they think she was kidnapped from her home, where she's lived for decades since moving from Fresno, Calif.

Neta's family says they were on the phone with her when terrorists entered her home ... and they heard her screaming.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, a father of two with another baby on the way, was among those in his neighborhood who fought back against a terrorist onslaught before going missing.

UFC fighter Natan Levy says he's currently around 25-30 miles away from the heinous attacks Hamas is unleashing on his native Israel ... and the scene is horrifying.

The 32-year-old flew to Israel just a few days before the weekend wave of terror began ... and simply intended to spend time with his family at a cousin's wedding.

But, Tuesday on "TMZ Live," he told us about the moment all their plans changed, and they went into survival mode.

Natan said he and his family fled to a bunker as soon as they heard sirens in the area, but thought it was "just missiles" ... something that's, sadly, fairly common. Initially, they didn't realize the terrorists were invading on foot and killing civilians.

He adds, "What's happening -- it's not far from here. It's a war zone, and it's just by the hand of God I'm not there inside the war zone."

Citing the reports of Hamas beheading babies and burning others alive ... Natan said he's hoping Israel's severe retaliation continues.

"I think we're going to have to attack -- they've left us no choice," he said. "Hopefully the least amount of civilians get hurt, but all of the blood is on their hands."

Alec Baldwin might not be out of the woods in the 'Rust' criminal case, because the possibility of prosecutors refiling charges is still looming ... depending on what they learn about docs related to the movie's preproduction planning.

A judge recently made a major ruling after prosecutors in New Mexico asked for documents to be turned over tied to any contracts between Baldwin and the production companies working on the movie. Those docs could shed light on how the production dealt with weapons training and safety on the set, and whether any corners were cut to save money.

Hizzoner weighed in on the matter and decided the records needed to be forked over to the D.A.'s office.

The movie's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed -- who's still facing an involuntary manslaughter charge -- has been arguing the production companies basically hamstrung her and prevented her from doing her job properly. She's claimed she was denied additional firearm training ... saying producers cited a tight budget as the reason.

Depending on what's found in the handed over docs, it could possibly spell new trouble for Baldwin.

Remember, he was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, but in April that was dropped. Now, it's possible he could be charged again.

Dorothy Hoffner, the 104-year-old Chicago woman who set the record for the oldest tandem skydive, died in her sleep just days after the monumental jump.

Hoffner made worldwide news just 10 days ago on October 1, when she became the oldest living person to jump out of a plane ... when she went skydiving at Skydive Chicago.

The record is still being confirmed by Guinness, but Dorothy toppled the previous record held by a 103-year-old Swedish woman who jumped in 2022.

Youngster.

As far as the timing, it appears to be nothing more than a coincidence. Dorothy died in her sleep.

In fact, Hoffner was over the moon after the jump, telling local media ... “Skydiving is a wonderful experience, and it’s nothing to be afraid of. Just do it!”

Skydive Chicago even released a statement on Dorothy's passing ... and they believe there's a lesson to be learned here about living.

“We are deeply saddened by Dorothy’s passing, and feel honored to have been part of making her world record skydive a reality,” the company said.

Britney Spears got busted on the road last month -- receiving a slap on the wrist for driving without some crucial documentation in her vehicle ... TMZ has confirmed.

The pop star was pulled over on Sept. 10 by a CHP officer in Ventura County -- where she got cited for two infractions ... according to court records. One of the violations was for driving without a valid license in her possession, the other was for driving without proof of insurance.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Britney was first pulled over for speeding in her white Mercedes, going 61 mph in a 40 mph zone. We're told Britney was cooperative during the stop, and was given a warning for her speed.

Fortunately for her, she'll be able to deal with the infractions by paying a fine by Oct. 24. The total she owes ... $1,140.

The traffic infraction certainly isn't great, but there's a lot happening in Britney's life with everything else going on with her these days ... y'know, knives and all.

Mary Lou Retton -- an Olympic gold-winning gymnast  -- is currently fighting for her life in the ICU ... this according to her daughter, who says her mom is battling a rare form of pneumonia.

McKenna Kelley shared the sad news on Tuesday via her Instagram story with a photo of a SpotFund account that she started for Retton's medical costs.

"Please help my mom continue to fight," Kelley said in the post.

The fundraiser says the 55-year-old former athlete is unable to breathe on her own due to the rare form of pneumonia.

"Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details," Keller said on the page. "However, I will disclose that she not insured."

"We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill."

Kelley added, "ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y’all so very much!"

The fundraiser has a goal of $50k and as of Tuesday, over 79 donors have contributed.

"If anyone can WIN we know it’s YOU! GEAUX MARYLOU!" one fan said on the page. "We are praying hard for you from La!"

Retton was a massive star in gymnastics ... in fact, she made history as the first American woman to win the all-around gold in the 1984 Olympics. She also won two silvers and bronzes that same year.

After retiring, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and was the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.

There are reports of babies being killed amid the chaos in Israel -- including graphic descriptions of Hamas terrorists going in and beheading infants.

One particular news story is making rounds -- coming from i24News's Nicole Zedek, who did a live shot this week alongside Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border ... and she says different military members have told her about dead babies being found in the aftermath.

As these soldiers have gone through the homes of people attacked over the weekend, they're now saying they're finding evidence of infanticide ... including beheadings.

Some images showing the apparent aftermath of these brutal killings are also surfacing online -- and they seem to show exactly what i24News is talking about ... namely, blood splattered across cribs and baby rooms inside of residential homes.

There are extra photos that show car seats covered in blood as well ... further proving that little ones have not been spared in this offensive from Hamas. That much has been clear in additional footage as well -- including one viral clip showing a dog being shot in a yard.

It goes without saying ... these sightings are deeply disturbing -- and just further evidence speaking to the sheer ugliness and horror of what's happening on the ground there.

BTW, young lives are being taken on both sides now -- amid retaliation on Gaza, including ongoing bombings, there's a viral video showing a baby's body being lifted from the rubble.

There's no end in sight at this point ... and the destruction continues to mount day by day.

12:10 PM PT -- The man behind the new "Ebony Alert" in California is defending the new law in the face of tons of online backlash ... telling us disparities and a lack of resources for missing Black kids forced lawmakers' hands.

California State Senator Steven Bradford joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and told us the law was necessary because law enforcement wasn't doing its job when it came to issuing alerts for Black youths who go missing.

Bradford says young Black kids make up 38 percent of the state's missing persons, despite Black people only making up 13 percent of the state population ... pointing to the data as another example of why he feels an "Ebony Alert" is needed.

There's a media component to this too ... Bradford says missing Black kids don't get nearly the amount of coverage, pointing to 2021's Gabby Petito case.

As for questions about oversight, Bradford tells us how the new system will be monitored.

The Golden State is rolling out a new system to report and find missing Black children and women ... it's completely separate from an Amber Alert and it's already causing backlash.

Folks in California are outraged over the new statewide alert system -- dubbed the "Ebony Alert" and backed by State Senator Steven Bradford -- reacting to the first-of-its-kind law as another form of segregation.

Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill into law creating the "Ebony Alert," which goes into effect Jan. 1 and will be used for Black people between the ages of 12 and 25 who are missing, plus young Black women who are reported missing.

The "Ebony Alert" is similar to the Amber Alert ... as it calls for local law enforcement to notify the California Highway Patrol if they need help finding lost children ... with lawmakers saying it also encourages media to report on missing Black people.

Problem is ... the reaction on the internet is there should NOT be separate alert systems for missing children based on race, with some saying folks claiming the change is "a way for authorities to decide how fast they want to respond" and others saying some groups will straight-up ignore "Ebony Alerts" altogether.

California lawmakers are being ripped for not thinking this through, and there are people wondering if there are going to be other alerts for different races too ... with one user proposing "the 'Juan Alert' for the Hispanic people that go missing."

Barry Melrose -- considered by many to be the best NHL analyst on television -- has sadly been diagnosed with Parkinson's ... and he'll now be stepping away from his role at ESPN while he battles the disease.

Longtime ESPN personality John Buccigross just made the heartbreaking announcement minutes ago on X ... revealing Melrose will be off camera and spending time with his family for the foreseeable future.

"I've worked with Barry at ESPN for over a quarter century," Buccigross said. "Cold beers and hearty laughs in smokey cigar bars. A razor sharp wit, he was always early & looked like a million bucks. I love him. I'll miss him."

"Wayne Gretzky on a life dedicated to hockey," he added.

Melrose both played and coached in the NHL for years ... before he began breaking down games for ESPN beginning in 1996. He took a brief hiatus from the network to coach the Lightning, but returned a short time later.

He's since become a mainstay on NHL broadcasts -- so much so, commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday, "Hockey on ESPN won't be the same without him."

"Barry's gigantic personality and trademark style have made our game bigger, more exciting and more entertaining," Bettman said.

"His love for hockey is obvious and infectious. And it is impossible to have a conversation with him without a smile on your face."

Israel festivalgoer Shani Louk is alive, according to her mother ... this after her naked body was paraded through the streets and spat on by Hamas terrorists.

Louk's mother, Ricarda, said Tuesday that her family has received information that claims the 22-year-old is alive -- citing unnamed Palestinian sources as the origin of the info.

She told German news outlets that her daughter is currently in a Gaza hospital with serious head injuries ... and is asking the German government to act quickly to get her out of the conflict zone, adding "Every minute counts."

As we reported, Ricarda was pleading for anyone with information about her daughter to come forward ... after seeing the brutal video of Louk's naked body being paraded and spat on in the back of a Hamas pickup truck.

Ricarda was holding out hope for Louk, however -- claiming her daughter appeared to be unconscious in the clip, not dead. She did confirm that it was Louk in the video, saying she identified her by her tattoos and dreadlocks.

Remember, Louk was at the Tribe of Nova music festival close to the Gaza Strip on Saturday when Hamas attackers swarmed the event ... massacring those in the crowd and taking people like Louk hostage.

Amber Heard told her therapist Jason Momoa was purposely dressing like her ex Johnny Depp while filming the 'Aquaman' sequel ... one of many claims just now coming to light.

The news comes courtesy of new legal docs from Amber's defamation trial last year, which were recently made public ... and detail some startling allegations she made in therapy sessions back in 2021, when she and Jason were working on 'A2.'

During one particular session in December of that year, she said she felt Jason was seemingly trying to play mind games with her by intentionally copying JD's fashion sense, right down to his multi-fingered rings ... according to Variety.

There are more allegations she made about Jason to her therapist at the time -- including a claim he was intoxicated on set, and that he was working to get her fired.

A rep for DC denied these characterizations, saying ... "Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." A separate source told Variety, Jason's fashion sensibility naturally reflects a bohemian style ... pushing back on Amber feeling he was trying to torment her.

There are a lot more juicy nuggets in the docs ... including the allegation Warner/DC tried canning Amber ahead of filming of 'Aquaman 2' -- but not because of her Johnny drama, but more so over a perceived lack of chemistry with Jason.

Amber's then-boyfriend, Elon Musk, fired off a letter to the studio on the heels of that ... threatening to "burn the house down" at WB, according to Variety.

If true, you'd have to say it worked ... they did keep Amber, although a handful of her scenes were cut down in the final edit of 'Aquaman 2; -- including a love scene with JM.

It's a peek behind the curtain amid a lot of speculation at the time over how much the Amber-Johnny saga had affected their respective work prospects -- especially for Amber, who came under intense criticism in the wake of Johnny's victory. Remember, fans wanted her character, Mera, completely recast, and a viral petition got started over it ... to no avail.

Now, 'A2' is set to hit theaters in December ... and time will tell what the box office will be. The first one was a massive success, but insiders say this new one hasn't landed so well with audiences in test screenings, which has spurred a number of reshoots/new cuts.

Aaron Rodgers wants to settle his back-and-forth with "Mr. Pfizer" once and for all ... proposing a star-studded Covid-19 debate with Travis Kelce -- and he wants Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Dr. Fauci to get involved!!

As we previously reported, AR8 and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar have been sending playful jabs toward each other over the past week ... ever since the New York Jets coined his new nickname for Kelce on "The Pat McAfee Show."

Rodgers returned for his weekly appearance with McAfee on Tuesday ... and he responded to Kelce claiming the two were in a "vax war."

"This ain't a war, homie," Rodgers told McAfee minutes ago. "This is just conversation. But if you want to have some sort of duel, debate, have me on the podcast, come on the show. Let's have a conversation."

The four-time MVP added he wants both sides to pick some backup help for the potential hash-out sesh ... revealing he wants RFK Jr. in his corner, and Kelce can choose Fauci or "some other pharmacrat" as his support.

Of course, a potential debate would surely be popcorn-worthy -- Rodgers and RFK Jr. have been outspoken against the Covid-19 vax, and Kelce and Fauci are strong proponents of getting the jab.

An Israeli grandmother is one of hundreds dead at the hands of Hamas aggressors ... and her death was made public after a terrorist shared footage of her slain body on her own Facebook page.

Mor Bayder shared the horrifying way she found out her grandma was dead as a result of the Hamas attacks ... saying she logged onto the social media site and saw gruesome footage of her dead grandmother in her Nir Oz home.

Mor broke down in tears while recalling seeing the alarming footage ... saying her mom couldn't even open the app herself, with Mor claiming she saw her grandmother lying dead on the floor, with blood covering the ground below.

The footage making it on her grandma's page means the Hamas terrorists must've filmed it from her personal phone and uploaded it from there -- a disgusting way to discover a family member has been killed.

As you know, Hamas first attacked Israel over the weekend, and it's been an all-out war ever since ... with reportedly over 900 Israelis dead since Saturday's attack. Nearly 700 Palestinians are also reportedly dead in the days since the killings began.

A pro-Palestinian protest in Australia had 1,000 supporters take to the Sydney Opera House ... chanting antisemitic slogans towards those in Israel like "Gas the Jews."

The crowd marched through downtown Sydney Monday evening, heading to the steps of the world-famous theater -- which Australian officials had lit the colors of the Israeli flag after the country was first attacked by Hamas terrorists on Saturday.

Anti-Semitic chants were heard throughout the protest -- apart from "Gas the Jews," they were also chanting "F*** the Jews" while flying Palestinian flags.

The group lit flares in the middle of the crowd and even appeared to throw what looked like a smoke grenade toward officers stationed on the Opera House steps.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Monday's protest "horrific," adding, "I understand that people have deep views about issues relating to the Middle East conflict but here in Australia we have to deal with political discourse in a respectful way."

New South Wales police said Tuesday the footage is being investigated to determine if any crimes were committed.

An Israeli woman was able to stave off her murder at the hands of Hamas terrorists by killing them with kindness ... quite literally.

Rachel Edri is being hailed as a hero across Israel right now because of this harrowing story she recently recounted about being taken hostage by 5 Hamas members on Saturday morning ... when the surprise attack against her country was carried out.

She and her husband, who live in Ofakim, were held at gunpoint after the Hamas members stormed their home -- but she was able to keep them at bay for about 15 hours due to her incredible hospitality ... something she dished out as a way to distract the intruders.

You see ... one of Rachel's kids was a cop, and once he caught wind of his parents' situation -- he rounded up other officers and, while negotiating with the terrorists, scoped out the place to find a way to rescue his family. In the meantime, Mama Bear was playing a good host ... feeding the Hamas guys while also trying to chat them up with banter and conversation, all in an effort to stall.

Rachel, who's a grandmother, says she served coffee and cookies during the standoff, and apparently, it worked -- because when her son and the other officers eventually stormed the place, the terrorists were all stuffing their faces and weren't able to fire back. They were all killed on sight.

Bob Costas is apparently just as good in life-or-death situations as he is in the broadcasting booth ... 'cause he recently saved a restaurant-goer from choking.

A rep for Costas says the Hall of Fame play-by-play man was out grabbing a bite to eat when he noticed a fellow diner gasping for air -- so he raced in to help out.

According to the rep, the 71-year-old performed the Heimlich maneuver ... saving the person's life. But, afterward, he made it clear he wasn't looking for accolades.

"Bob doesn’t think this was that big of a deal," the rep told Page Six.

"He really feels he did what just about anyone else would do in a similar situation."