Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has fully recovered from prostate cancer, sharing for the first time that he had been diagnosed with the disease.
Netanyahu, who is 76 years old, said he had prostate surgery about a year and a half ago. More recently, doctors at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem found a small tumor, which was treated with radiation therapy two and a half months ago.
He explained that he waited to share the news because he wanted to prevent “false propaganda against Israel” during the peak of the conflict with Iran.
“I am healthy,” Netanyahu said, describing the tumour as a “minor medical issue.”
Earlier this year, as rumors about his health grew, fake AI-generated images appeared and were even shown on Iranian state media.
These images falsely claimed he had died, even though Netanyahu had only recently received treatment.
Aharon Popovtser, head of Hadassah’s oncology unit, confirmed the cancer was caught early and successfully treated. “We can say based on the findings of these tests that the disease has disappeared,” he said.
As Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu has faced criticism in the past for not sharing health updates sooner.
For example, in 2023, he revealed he had received a pacemaker only after the procedure, which happened before his latest cancer treatments.
He is currently leading the country through conflicts with Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon.
By sharing this news, Netanyahu aims to reassure the nation. He says he is fully recovered and continues to lead Israel through a challenging time.
