Gaza hostage rescue latest: 210 killed in IDF operation, Hamas says - as it claims some hostages were also killed

That's all our live coverage on the Israel-Hamas war for today. 

We'll bring you any major updates overnight. 

Al Aqsa hospital is dealing with "back-to-back mass casualties", Doctors Without Borders has said. 

The international organisation, which is also known as MSF, has been helping medical staff in Gaza throughout the conflict with Israel. 

In a series of posts on X, it said there had been "intense bombings by Israeli forces" this morning, leaving the hospital in central Gaza treating an "overwhelming number of severely injured patients".

"It's a nightmare at al Aqsa. There have been back-to-back mass casualties as densely populated areas are bombed," said Samuel Johann, the organisation's coordinator in Gaza.

"It's way beyond what anyone could deal with in a functional hospital, let alone with the scarce resources we have here."

Another member of staff, Chris Hook, said doctors were dealing with patients suffering from multiple major open fractures and several unconscious children. 

As news broke that four Israeli hostages had been rescued from Hamas captivity, an Israel Defence Forces spokesman released a video statement, detailing how they were retrieved. 

Noa Argamani, 25, Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 40, spent a total of 246 days trapped in Gaza. 

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said they were found alive and well as a result of a "his risk, complex mission". 

"This is what we do in Israel - we risk our lives to save the lives of our hostages," he added. 

You can watch his address below... 

At al Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza has been dealing with waves of injured Palestinians. 

Many have filtered in following strikes carried out by Israel earlier today. 

The Hamas-led government has said at least 210 people were killed during Israel's rescue operation, which saved four hostages from captivity. 

This figure was later confirmed by Dr Khalil Al-Dakran, the spokesman for al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.

An Israeli minister has hit back at European Union official Josep Borrell for condemning Israel's rescue operation as a "massacre of civilians". 

Eli Cohen told the EU's high representative for foreign policy that he should be condemning Hamas. 

"Shame on you," he said.

Mr Borrell had earlier posted on X saying: "Reports from Gaza of another massacre of civilians are appalling.

"We condemn this in the strongest terms. The bloodbath must end immediately." 

He also suggested the path to peace was in a three stage plan put forward by US President Joe Biden. 

Under the idea, the first phase would consist of a six-week ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostage in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The second phase would see the release of all remaining living hostages and a withdrawal from Gaza by Israeli forces. 

The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of the devastated enclave. 

This is the moment two of the four freed hostages arrived back in Israel. 

Almog Meir Jan can be briefly seen on the right and Andrey Kozlov is on the left. 

The pair touched down in a helicopter after being rescued from Hamas captivity in Nuseirat earlier today. 

Iran appears to have blamed the 200 reported deaths of Palestinians after an Israeli operation to free four hostages on "inaction" by world governments and the United Nations.

According to Reuters, it was not immediately clear whether the hostage rescues and an Israeli air assault were part of the same operation.

Both took place in central Gaza's al-Nuseirat, a densely built-up area.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said: "These horrific and shocking crimes are the result of the inaction of governments and responsible international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, in the face of eight months of war crimes and violations by the Zionist regime (Israel)."

The number of Palestinians killed was 210, according to Dr Khalil Al-Dakran, spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah.

A further 400 people have been wounded, the doctor added.

The foreign secretary has echoed the prime minister (see previous post) in saying that the rescue of Israeli hostages will be a "huge relief to their families".

In a statement on X, Lord Cameron has called for a ceasefire agreement to "secure the release of all hostages and end the fighting".

He added: "My thoughts [are] also with [the] families of those still captive, and all the innocent lives affected by the conflict." 

Rishi Sunak has said it is a "huge relief" that four Israeli hostages have been freed.

The prime minister said they had been through an "unimaginable ordeal" and it was "heart-warming to see the pictures of them reunited with their families".

He added on X: "We will continue to strive towards an end to the fighting as well as safety and security for all."

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah says it has fired Falaq 2 rockets at a military command centre in northern Israel.

A security source said it was the first time the group had used that type of rocket after firing the Falaq 1 on dozens of previous occasions, Reuters reported.

Hezbollah said it was acting in retaliation.

Lebanon's state news agency, NNA, said two people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun. 

The Israeli military said its soldiers identified a Hezbollah militant in the Aitaroun area.

An Israeli aircraft conducted an airstrike that hit the individual, it added.