Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu discloses prostate cancer diagnosis and says treatment is complete

Netanyahu announced on Friday that a malignant tumor smaller than one centimeter was found in his prostate, with no metastases detected. Aharon Popovtser, director of Hadassah Hospital's oncology unit, said the prime minister was diagnosed at an early stage and stated, "We can say based on the findings of these tests that the disease has disappeared," referring to imaging and blood work, according to the Associated Press.

The disclosure came roughly a year and a half after Netanyahu underwent prostate surgery in December 2024 for an enlarged prostate — a procedure that was publicly announced at the time by the prime minister's office, according to the Washington Examiner. The cancer diagnosis itself, however, was not announced when it was made, with Netanyahu saying he requested a two-month delay in releasing his annual medical report. He said he made the request so that Iran would not use the diagnosis as propaganda during the ongoing war. "I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war," he said, as reported by the AP.

Netanyahu announced the news in a post on X, writing, "Thank God, I am healthy," and described the tumor as "a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated." He also said his decision to seek treatment quickly reflected a broader personal principle: "When I'm given information in time about a potential danger, I want to address it immediately," as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Coverage from the Washington Examiner focused on Netanyahu's own framing of his health status, his delayed disclosure as a wartime strategic decision, and drew a comparison with U.S. President Donald Trump's April 2025 health report from Walter Reed, which described Trump as in "excellent health." The Associated Press emphasized Netanyahu's past history of delayed health disclosures, noting he had previously waited a week after fainting at a public appearance before telling the public he had received a pacemaker implant, and highlighted that Netanyahu is managing simultaneous conflicts in Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon.

The AP reported that during the early weeks of the Iran war, Netanyahu's health had been the subject of speculation, including AI-generated images circulating on Iranian state media suggesting he had died. The Washington Examiner noted that Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House in the coming weeks as the United States seeks to broker a lasting peace agreement related to the Iran conflict, and that Israel's ceasefire with Lebanon has been extended by three weeks.