The ministry said Sunday that around 700 people were wounded in Saturday's operation.

The operation deep into central Gaza was the largest rescue operation since October 7, when Hamas and other militants stormed across the border, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage.

Israel launched a massive offensive in response that has killed over 36,700 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

Israelis celebrated the return of Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41, after Israeli forces raided two locations at once while under fire.