Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu says he received treatment for prostate cancer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has undergone successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, after a small tumour was discovered during a routine checkup.

The information was published on Friday in Netanyahu’s annual medical report, with the Israeli leader posting on social media to explain that doctors discovered and treated the tumour during a medical checkup. The information was not announced at the time.

“I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war” against Iran, the 76-year-old Israeli leader said, to prevent “more false propaganda against Israel”.

The Israeli prime minister said he underwent surgery for an enlarged benign prostate in 2024 and has since been under routine medical monitoring. It was during the most recent checkup that the tumour was discovered.

According to the medical report, which otherwise said the prime minister was in good health, Netanyahu was treated with radiation therapy for early-stage prostate cancer. Neither the medical report nor Netanyahu said when the treatment occurred.

Aharon Popovtser, the director of Hadassah Hospital’s oncology unit, said Netanyahu was diagnosed at an early stage, noting that prostate cancer is common among men his age.

“We can say based on the findings of these tests that the disease has disappeared,” he said, referring to imaging and blood work.

Netanyahu, who is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, was the subject of speculation about his health during the early weeks of the US-Israel attacks on Iran, as fake, AI-generated images circulated suggesting he had died, including on Iranian state media.

The Israeli leader recorded a video of himself visiting a Jerusalem cafe in March to refute the claims.