Social media users spread false cancer claims as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu undergoes surgery

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem on Nov. 18, 2024. Netanyahu is recovering from prostate removal surgery he had on Sunday to address a benign enlarged prostate, his office said. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Ohad Zwigenberg

Late last month, a post on X that claimed the head of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's medical team said the leader "has been diagnosed with Grade 3 prostate cancer" was shared thousands of times. Several subsequent posts spread the claim, with some saying he had died. These posts are false. The Prime Minister's Office and an Israeli hospital spokesperson say Netanyahu underwent surgery recently to treat a benign enlargement of his prostate.

On Dec. 29, claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been diagnosed with "Grade 3 prostate cancer." The post attributed that claim to the head of Netanyahu's medical team.

X's analytics show the post had been shared 3,300 times and received more than one million views as of publication.

A subsequent claimed Netanyahu had died due to the cancer. A short video of a man enjoying food at a funeral was attached with the post.

Rating: False

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø could not find any evidence that a member of Netanyahu's medical team made any statements about a cancer diagnosis. The social media posts spreading the claim offered no sources, and no reputable news media have reported such a diagnosis.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement emailed to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø that on Dec. 25, the leader "underwent an examination at Hadassah Hospital in the course of which was discovered a urinary tract infection stemming from a benign enlargement of his prostate."

"No cancer was found," added Hadar Elboim, a spokesperson for the Hadassah Medical Center in a separate email.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said he was treated with antibiotics and was set to undergo surgery to remove his prostate on Sunday, Dec. 29.

After his surgery, the prime minster's office said in another statement that his anesthesia had worn off and he "is in good condition and is fully conscious."

"He has been transferred to the underground, protected recovery unit. He is expected to remain in the hospital for observation in the coming days," the statement said.

On Thursday, Netanyahu that he has been released from the hospital.

Sources

Claims can be found on X () () and ()

Netanyahu's X post stating he has been released from hospital can be found ()

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