Hamas kidnapped some 250 hostages during its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which triggered the Israel-Hamas war. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. 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.

The rescue comes as international pressure mounts on Israel to limit civilian bloodshed in its war in Gaza, which reached its eighth month on Friday. Seeking a breakthrough in the apparently stalled cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return to the Middle East next week.

Israel's offensive has killed at least 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its figures.

Saturday's operation is the largest recovery of alive hostages since the war erupted, bringing the total of rescued captives to seven. Two men were rescued in February when troops stormed a heavily guarded apartment in a densely packed town and another hostage, a woman, was rescued in the aftermath of October's attack. Israeli troops have so far recovered at least 16 bodies of hostages from Gaza, according to the government.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing growing pressure to end the fighting in Gaza, with many Israelis urging him to embrace a deal announced last month by U.S. President Joe Biden, but far-right allies threatening to collapse his government if he does.

One of those rescued on Saturday, Argamani, has been one of the most widely recognized hostages since she was abducted from a music festival. The video of her abduction was among the first to surface, images of her horrified face widely shared -- Argamani detained between two men on a motorcycle, one arm outstretched and the other held down as she screams "Don't kill me!"

At least 274 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more were wounded in the Israeli raid that rescued four hostages held by Hamas, Gaza's Health Ministry said Sunday. The military said its forces came under heavy fire during the complex daytime operation deep inside the territory.

The complex raid deep into Nuseirat, a built-up refugee camp in central Gaza dating back to the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, was the largest rescue operation since October 7, when Hamas and other militants stormed across the border, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage.

In Gaza, medics described scenes of horror and chaos as wounded people poured into nearby hospitals that were already struggling to treat the wounded from days of heavy Israeli strikes in the area.

"We had the gamut of war wounds, trauma wounds, from amputations to eviscerations to trauma, to TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), fractures, and obviously, big burns," said Karin Huster of Doctors Without Borders, an international charity working in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the facilities that received dead and wounded.

Israeli troops have recovered the bodies of at least 16 others, according to the government.The latest rescue lifted some spirits in Israel as divisions deepened over the best way to bring hostages home.

Many Israelis urge Netanyahu to embrace a cease-fire deal US President Joe Biden announced last month, but far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does.

Netanyahu, whose support has fallen, rushed to the hospital to greet the freed hostages and his office released a stream of photos and videos of him meeting the families. But thousands of Israelis again gathered Saturday evening for the latest anti-government demonstration and calls for a cease-fire agreement.

It was unclear what effect the rescue might have on apparently stalled cease-fire efforts.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate amid the ongoing conflict. Human rights groups warn that both Israel and Hamas are responsible for potential war crimes. The high civilian casualties are due to densely populated urban warfare, and there is growing concern over the disproportionate impact on Palestinian civilians, according to the United Nations.

As the international community calls for restraint and an end to hostilities, the grim reality on the ground remains unchanged. Hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed with the influx of the injured, and essential supplies, including life-saving medications, are in dire shortage due to the blockade and recent bombardments.

This past Saturday's rescue operation not only required meticulous military planning but also relied heavily on intelligence gathering to avoid further civilian casualties. Yet, despite these efforts, the raid resulted in significant Palestinian losses, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and stoking the flames of resentment among Gazans.

The Israeli military insists that all its operations are aimed at deterring Hamas and other militant activities, emphasizing that it makes every possible effort to minimize civilian harm. However, the heavy civilian death toll raises serious questions about the efficacy and morality of such military tactics.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to the Middle East is seen as pivotal in renewing diplomatic efforts for a cease-fire. Amidst the tense political atmosphere, Blinken is expected to navigate complex political terrains in Israel and engage regional partners to pressure both sides to de-escalate.

Further complicating the cease-fire efforts is the internal political unrest in Israel. Netanyahu's political challenges have intensified due to the war's impact on his approval ratings and the cohesion of his governing coalition. With Biden's cease-fire plan on the table, the Israeli Prime Minister is caught between international expectations and the demands of his political base.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, residents mourn their dead and brace for the possibility of further violence. The recent rescue operation, while a sign of hope for some Israelis, serves as a reminder to Gazans of the war's heavy toll. As soldiers and militants continue to clash, civilians are caught in the middle, praying for an end to the bloodshed and a return to some semblance of normalcy.

Advocates for peace propose that only a sustained and genuine dialogue between Israel and Palestinian authorities, with strong international support and mediation, can lead to a lasting resolution. They argue that without addressing the root causes of the conflict, such operations, while successful on a tactical level, may inevitably lead to cycles of retaliation and further violence.