Netanyahu reveals prostate cancer diagnosis, says treatment succeeded, ‘Thank God, it’s behind me’

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed Friday, April 24, that he was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer and has already undergone successful treatment, saying the health scare is now over.

The 76-year-old leader shared the update while releasing his delayed annual medical report, confirming doctors found a malignant tumour during a routine examination but treated it before it spread.

Netanyahu confirms cancer diagnosis and treatment

According to the medical report, doctors discovered a small malignant growth during routine monitoring.

Netanyahu said specialists determined it was an early-stage tumour and that it had not spread beyond the prostate. 

He then underwent targeted radiation therapy, which he said removed the issue completely.

“I had a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated. Thank God, it’s behind me,” Netanyahu said via a post on X.

The announcement marked the first time Netanyahu publicly confirmed the cancer diagnosis, which had not previously been disclosed.

Neither the report nor Netanyahu’s office specified the exact date of the treatment, but officials indicated the matter had already been resolved before the report was made public.

Medical professionals generally note that prostate cancer identified in its early stages often carries strong treatment outcomes, especially when localized and addressed quickly.

Netanyahu stalls cancer report amid Iran war

Netanyahu said he requested that the annual medical report be withheld for two months because Israel was in the middle of a conflict with Iran, and he did not want Tehran to use the information for propaganda purposes.

“Today, my annual medical report was published. I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war, in order not to allow the Iranian regime to spread even more false propaganda against Israel,” he wrote.

During the confrontation earlier this year, false online rumors circulated claiming Netanyahu had died. Some of those reports were echoed by Iranian state-linked media outlets.

To counter the speculation at the time, Netanyahu released a video of himself visiting a cafe in Jerusalem.

The Israeli leader has faced several public medical episodes in recent years.

In 2024, he underwent surgery after suffering a urinary tract infection linked to benign prostate enlargement.

In 2023, doctors implanted a pacemaker after a heart-monitoring incident.

Despite those earlier procedures, the newly released report otherwise described Netanyahu as being in good overall health.