Protesters call for hostage deal, IDF strike in Gaza's Beit Lahiya kills nine

Protesters demonstrated in front of the Prime Minister's Office on Saturday night in Jerusalem in a call to continue the hostage deal with the Hamas terrorist organization to release the remaining 59 that still in captivity since October 7, 2023.

In Tel Aviv, protesters were seen putting up tents on Kaplan Street.

The number of protesters is estimated to be in the thousands, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The IDF's Paran Brigade thwarted an attempt to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Israel on Saturday after they identified a drone that was smuggling them, the military announced.

The drone was promptly shot down by Israeli forces, and then recovered Kalashnikov-style weapons at the scene.

Three Syrians were killed, and 12 were injured in a blast in the port city of Latakia, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said on Saturday afternoon.

According to Al Arabiya, the explosion occurred due to a malfunctioning missile stored in a "scrapstore" in the city.

This is a developing story.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to hold consultations on Saturday evening following the Israeli delegation's return from Gaza hostage deal talks in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Israel accused Hamas of deviating from the American proposal for a ceasefire extension after the terror organization announced on Friday that it had agreed to release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza captivity.

Hamas also said it would return the remains of four deceased hostages with American citizenship: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, and Judy Weinstein Haggai. Israeli officials previously confirmed the deaths of all four hostages named by Hamas.

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff dismissed Hamas's offer on Friday, warning the Palestinian terror organization that it could no longer play for time with a ceasefire and hostage deal. 

The IDF said on Saturday it took disciplinary action against several reserve combat fighters serving in Gaza, after footage surfaced of them opening fire toward Gazan territory while reading from the Book of Esther for Purim.

In the video, which circulated on social media on Friday, the reservists are seen firing toward Gazan territory upon hearing the name 'Haman' read out by a fellow combat fighter, who was reading the Book of Esther, as per Purim tradition. 

חיילים הוצאו מהרצועה אחרי שביצעו ירי ללא סיבה בזמן קריאת המגילה. גורמים בצה"ל: "התפרקות משמעת" | תיעוד@ItayBlumental pic.twitter.com/9F6wtJZYkL

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) March 15, 2025

In response to the incident, IDF commanders decided to immediately remove the reservists involved from operations in the Gaza Strip. 

Discussions on the continuation of a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal have failed, Hamas officials told BBC Arabic on Saturday.

Talks were carried out throughout the weekend, with an Israeli delegation visiting Doha for talks, while a Hamas delegation visited Cairo for updates on the negotiations.

The IDF confirmed it struck targets who posed a threat to soldiers in Gaza's northern Beit Lahiya town, as Hamas-affiliated medics told Reuters at least nine Palestinians were killed, reportedly including two local journalists.

The Israeli military fired at two Palestinians who were "operating a drone that posed a threat to IDF troops," it said.

Several were critically injured as the strike hit a car, with casualties inside and outside the vehicle, the medics added. The IDF said that a number of Palestinians collected the drone operating equipment and entered a vehicle, prompting Israeli forces to fire.

Witnesses and fellow journalists said the people in the car were on a mission for a charity called Al-Khair Foundation in Beit Lahiya, and they were accompanied by journalists and photographers when the strike hit them.

The IDF targeted a Hezbollah operators involved in "terrorist activity" in the vicinity of Kafr Kila, southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

At least five Palestinians were killed, including two local journalists, and others were wounded on Saturday in an Israeli strike on Gaza's northern Beit Lahiya town, Hamas Health Ministry medics told Reuters, as the terrorist organization's leaders hold Gaza ceasefire talks with mediators in Cairo.

Several were critically injured as the strike hit a car, with casualties inside and outside the vehicle, the medics added.

Witnesses and fellow journalists said the people in the car were on a mission for a charity called Al-Khair Foundation in Beit Lahiya, and they were accompanied by journalists and photographers when the strike hit them.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The incident underscores the fragility of the January 19 ceasefire agreement that halted large-scale fighting in the Gaza Strip. Hamas Health Ministry officials say dozens of people have been killed by Israeli fire despite the truce.