Hamas claims three hostages died, including US citizen, in Israel raid that killed more than 200 Palestinians – as it happened

At least 236 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s raid to free hostages Saturday, Gaza health officials have told the Washington Post.

At al-Awda Hospital, where victims were transported, there were 142 bodies, hospital director Marwan Abu Nasser told the US newspaper. Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital spokesman Khalil al-Degran said over the weekend that the hospital had at least 94 bodies. Hundreds more are believed to be wounded.

Israeli forces are continuing operations across Gaza following its deadly raid at Nuseirat refugee camp that freed four Israeli hostages, the Israel Defense Force said in a Telegram post.

Fighter jets and ground troops killed militants, struck targets, and located tunnel shafts and weapons in Deir al-Balah and Bureij in the east, Rafah in the south and central Gaza, the IDF said.

Earlier, the IDF said on Telegram that numerous rocket launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory and falling in open areas in the area of Misgav Am. No injuries were reported. The IDF also said its fighter jets struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon.

AP provides some more detail about the hostage rescue mission:

Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told reporters that military intelligence determined some time ago that the hostages were being held in two apartments, about 200 metres (219 yards) away from each other, in the heart of the Nuseirat camp. He said the forces had trained repeatedly on a model of the apartment buildings.

Hagari said the forces moved in simultaneously in broad daylight on both apartments, believing this ensured the best element of surprise. But he said the rescuers came under heavy fire as they moved out, including from gunmen firing rocket-propelled grenades from within the neighborhood.

“A lot of fire was around us,” he said, adding that the military responded with heavy force, including from aircraft, to extract the rescuers and freed hostages.

A US hostage cell provided advice and support throughout the process of locating and rescuing the hostages, according to a Biden administration official, who was not authorised to comment and requested anonymity. The hostage cells are multi-agency teams.

Pushing back against social media claims, the U.S Central Command said in a tweet that neither the American-built pier in Gaza that brings in aid for Palestinians by sea nor any of its equipment, personnel or other assets were used in the Israeli operation. It said Israel used an area south of the pier “to safely return hostages.”

One of the four Israeli hostages freed yesterday has given an account of her ordeal to her relatives, Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reports.

Noa Argamani, 26, recounted the traumatic experiences she faced during captivity, stating that she faced the prospect of imminent death on four separate occasions. She described an incident when a missile struck the building she was being held in, causing an explosion that led her to be convinced her life was about to end.

“I saw the missile entering the house – I was sure I was about to die. I thought that was it, but I survived,” she said. Argamani said her Hamas captors frequently moved her between safe houses, at times disguising her in traditional Arab dress and allowing her outside briefly to get fresh air.

Argamani told family that she heard a knock at 10am on Saturday, and heard, “It’s the IDF and we’ve come to rescue you.”

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As Israelis celebrated the rescue of the four hostages, the EU condemned what it called “appalling” reports of a massacre Palestinian civilians.

Gaza’s Hamas-run media office says the death toll from Israel’s hostage rescue mission is now 210.

The EU’s foreign minister, Josep Borrell said: “Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling. We condemn this in the strongest terms. The bloodbath must end immediately.” In an earlier post on X, Borrell said: “We share the relief of their families and call for the release of all the remaining hostages.”

Two ships catch fire after missile strikes off Yemen’s Aden

Two vessels caught on fire after being hit by projectiles off Yemen’s Aden according to two UK maritime agencies, Reuters reports.

British security firm Ambrey said on Sunday an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles south-east of Yemen’s Aden and caught fire before it was contained.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report from a master of a vessel about another incident 70 nautical miles south-west of Aden.

“The master reports that the vessel was hit by an unknown projectile on the aft section, which resulted in a fire. Damage control is under way,” UKMTO said in advisory note.

It added that no casualties were reported and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call.

The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen and is aligned with Iran, has attacked ships off its coast for months, saying it is acting in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.

The Hamas-run government media office said at least 210 Palestinians, including children, have been killed and more than 400 people have been wounded following Israel’s heavy air and ground assault in central Gaza, AFP reports.

There was no immediate confirmation of the figures from Gaza’s health ministry.

“The number of victims from the Israeli occupation’s massacre in the Nuseirat camp has risen to 210 martyrs and more than 400 wounded,” the Hamas media office said.

Near Nuseirat on Saturday, an AFP photographer saw scores of Palestinians running for cover in fear of further Israeli strikes.

It was reported earlier that the bodies of nearly 100 Palestinians were brought to the al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital along with more than 100 injured, spokesperson Khalil Degran told the Associated Press.

Degran later told AP that overall, 210 dead had been taken to al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital and to al-Awda hospital, saying he had spoken to the director there. Al-Awda’s numbers could not immediately be confirmed.

AP reporters saw dozens of bodies brought to al-Aqsa hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas. A baby was among the dead.

Israelis were jubilant as Israel’s military on Saturday carried out its largest hostage rescue operation since its latest war with Hamas began last October, taking four to safety out of central Gaza in a heavy air and ground assault, AP reports.

Footage posted on social media showed beachgoers erupting into cheers in Tel Aviv when a lifeguard announced the news.

The army said it freed Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41, in a daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat, raiding two locations at once while under fire. All were well, the military said. They were taken by helicopter for medical checks and reunions with loved ones after 246 days held.

Argamani had been one of the most widely recognised hostages after being taken, like the three others, from the Nova music festival targeted by Hamas during its 7 October raid on Israel.

Her mother, Liora, has brain cancer and had released a video pleading to see her daughter. Israel’s Channel 13 said Argamani was moved to the hospital where her mother is treated. In a message released by the government, Argamani told prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu she was “very excited”, saying she hadn’t heard Hebrew in so long.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement vowed to continue the fighting until all hostages are freed.

The operation was “daring in nature, planned brilliantly, and executed in an extraordinary fashion”, Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant said.

Below is our video report on the release of the hostages.

US Central Command (Centcom) has confirmed aid has been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier after it suffered storm damage, the Associated Press reports.

In a post on X, Centcom confirmed aid was delivered in Gaza via the pier yesterday morning.

“Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. [Gaza time] U.S. Central Command [USCENTCOM] began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons [~1.1 million pounds] of much needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza.”

The pier constructed by the American military was only operational for about a week before it was blown apart in high winds and heavy seas on 25 May. The damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday after undergoing repairs at an Israeli port.

UN agencies and humanitarian aid groups have warned sea or air deliveries cannot replace far more efficient truck convoys into Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine.

Israeli restrictions on land crossings, and fighting, have greatly limited the flow of food and other vital supplies into the territory.

Welcome back to our continuing live coverage of the Israel-Gaza war and wider Middle East conflict. I’m Hayden and I’ll be bringing you the latest updates this morning.

The Palestinian death toll from Israel’s hostage rescue raid in al-Nuseirat has risen to 210, Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office says. There was no immediate confirmation of the figure from Gaza’s health ministry.

The raid led to the rescue of four Israeli hostages held by Hamas since 7 October.

It was reported earlier that the bodies of nearly 100 Palestinians were brought to the al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital along with more than 100 injured, spokesperson Khalil Degran told the Associated Press.

Degran later told AP that overall, 210 dead had been taken to al-Aqsa martyrs’ hospital and to al-Awda hospital, saying he had spoken to the director there. Al-Awda’s numbers couldn’t immediately be confirmed. AP journalists reported seeing dozens of bodies brought to AlAqsa hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas.

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Meanwhile, the US military says humanitarian aid has been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier, following problems that had plagued the effort to bring supplies to Palestinians by sea.

US central command posted on X that crews delivered about 492 tonnes (1.1 million pounds) of “much needed humanitarian assistance” via the pier on Saturday morning.

UN agencies and humanitarian aid groups have warned sea or air deliveries cannot replace far more efficient truck convoys into Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine.

An Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship was struck by a missile 83 nautical miles south-east of Yemen’s Aden and caught fire before it was contained, according to British security firm Ambrey.

More details shortly, in other key developments:

• Israeli forces rescued four hostages alive from the central Gaza Strip on Saturday, the military said. The four hostages, three men and one woman, had been kidnapped from the Nova music festival on 7 October and were taken to hospital for medical checks, Reuters reports. The army said it rescued Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, in a complex special daytime operation in Nuseirat, AP reported.

• An Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Aitaroun in southern Lebanon killed two people, Lebanese state news agency NNA reported on Saturday. Israel’s IDF said in a statement that its soldiers had identified a Hezbollah militant in the area of Aitaroun and shortly afterward an Israeli aircraft had struck the individual.

• US president Joe Biden welcomed the return of four Israeli hostages rescued alive in Gaza. Speaking at a news conference with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, Biden said he joined his host in welcoming the return of the hostages and vowed: “We won’t stop working until all the hostages come home and a ceasefire is reached.”

• The Israeli defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said that special forces operated under heavy fire and in a complex urban environment when rescuing four hostages from Hamas in Gaza on Saturday.

• Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel does not give into terrorism and that it is operating “creatively and bravely” to bring home the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. “We are committed to do so in the future as well. We will not let up until we complete the mission and return home all the hostages – both those alive and dead,” Netanyahu said.

• At least 36,801 Palestinians have been killed and more than 83,680 have been injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October, the health ministry in Gaza said in a statement on Saturday.

• Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, with about a quarter of those believed dead, and divisions are deepening in the country over the best way to bring them home.