Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed that he received treatment for early-stage prostate cancer, stating that he is in excellent physical condition. The announcement was made via a post on X, following the publication of his annual medical report, which disclosed the removal of a malignant tumor.
“Thank God, I am healthy,” Netanyahu wrote in a translated post on Friday. “Thank God, it’s behind me.” He explained that after undergoing successful surgery for an enlarged benign prostate in 2024, routine follow-up monitoring detected a malignant tumor in its early stages.
The 76-year-old leader requested a delay in the publication of his health record to avoid diverting attention from Israel’s and the United States’ military operations against Iran, and to prevent what he described as “the Iranian terror regime to spread even more false propaganda against” his country.
Netanyahu noted that prostate issues are “very common among men my age,” and outlined two options: treatment to remove the problem or monitoring without intervention. “You can live with it, and many do so,” he said, but he chose to “address it immediately.” The tumor was “removed” and “no trace of it” remained, he added.
He expressed gratitude to the medical teams at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital and urged the public to prioritize their health. “Take care of your health. Get checked, and follow the doctors’ instructions,” he advised.
Political Context
Netanyahu’s health update comes as Israel’s ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, following clashes with the Iran-backed Hezbollah, was extended by three weeks. He is also scheduled to visit the White House in the coming weeks as the U.S. seeks to broker a longer-term peace deal regarding the conflict with Iran.
In a video statement released Friday, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel and the U.S. are operating in “full cooperation” on Iran. “The same is true in Lebanon,” he added. “We have begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this.”
