Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that an early-stage malignant tumor found during a routine checkup had been removed following successful treatment, though he did not indicate when that treatment took place.
The 76-year-old leader made the announcement on social media at the same time his annual medical report was published. In his post, Netanyahu said "targeted treatment" had eliminated "the problem" and that no trace remained.
The accompanying medical report described the prime minister as being in good health and noted that he received radiation therapy for early-stage prostate cancer. The report and Netanyahu himself did not provide a date or timeframe for when the radiation therapy occurred.
Netanyahu said he postponed releasing the medical report by two months, explaining the delay was intended to prevent Iran from spreading "false propaganda against Israel." The issue of misinformation had surfaced in March during fighting with Iran, when social media posts and Iranian state media aired rumors claiming the prime minister had died. Netanyahu countered those claims with a video in March showing him visiting a Jerusalem cafe.
The medical disclosures also reiterate recent elements of the prime minister's health history. In 2024, he underwent surgery on his prostate after being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection that resulted from benign prostate enlargement. The report notes that in 2023 he was fitted with a pacemaker.
Israel is scheduled to hold elections by October. The medical report otherwise described the prime minister as in good health, but both the statement and the report leave the timing of the cancer treatment unspecified.
Information in this article is limited to the details provided in the public statement and the annual medical report. Where the accounts do not give precise timing or further medical specifics, that gap is reflected rather than filled.