4 Israeli hostages freed after raid in central Gaza, dozens of Palestinians killed

Israeli forces rescued four hostages from two separate locations during a raid in central Gaza on Saturday, according to the country's military.

Heavy fighting raged in the area where the hostages were rescued. At least 94 dead Palestinians, including children, were brought to local hospitals, a health official said.

The four former hostages were taken by helicopter for medical checks and reunions with loved ones after 246 days in captivity.

"This morning, in a joint special operation held by the @IDF, ISA and the Israeli police, four Israeli hostages were rescued from Gaza," Israel said on social media.

"The four were kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization from the 'Nova' music festival on Oct. 7. The hostages were rescued from two separate locations in the heart of Nuseirat."

Hundreds of Israeli troops took part in the special operation, which had been planned for weeks, Israel's chief military spokesperson said on Saturday. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said one police officer was injured. Israeli forces returned fire, including with airstrikes, he said.

He told reporters in a televised news conference that the hostages were held in two houses in a residential neighbourhood.

The freed hostages include Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40.

The military action was the largest such hostage recovery operation since the war began. It comes as international pressure mounts on Israel to limit civilian bloodshed in its war in Gaza.

More than 36,700 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people during the Oct. 7 attacks, according to Israel.

U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the hostages' return.

"We won't stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached," he said at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Seeking a breakthrough in the apparently stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East next week. Palestinians are facing widespread hunger because the war has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and other supplies.

UN agencies say more than million in Gaza could experience the highest level of starvation by mid-July.