Netanyahu says he was successfully treated for prostate cancer

Netanyahu Reveals Successful Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he is in excellent physical condition after his annual medical report revealed he had been treated for early-stage prostate cancer, according to multiple news outlets including the BBC and Dawn.

The report, released by the Prime Minister's Office and dated April 20, 2026, states that Netanyahu, 76, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor during a routine checkup, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. The cancer was discovered after a follow-up MRI identified a tiny suspicious lesion less than one millimeter in diameter, which was confirmed by further tests to be early-stage prostate cancer with no signs of metastasis.

Netanyahu underwent radiation therapy, directed by specialists at Hadassah Medical Center, according to the Jerusalem Post. The treatment was declared "fully successful," with subsequent imaging showing complete disappearance of the lesion. The Prime Minister described the episode as a "minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated," adding, "Thank God, it's behind me."

The announcement clarified that Netanyahu had previously undergone surgery on December 29, 2024, to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. That procedure was successful and complication-free. In 2023, he had been fitted with a pacemaker, according to Dawn.

Delay in Publication

Netanyahu explained that he had requested the release of the medical report be delayed by two months to prevent Iran from exploiting the information for propaganda during the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran, as reported by the BBC and Dawn. In his social media post, he said he chose to delay the publication so it would not coincide with the peak of the conflict, according to the Jerusalem Post.

This decision came after rumors circulated in March, including on social media and Iranian state media, falsely claiming that Netanyahu had died, as reported by Dawn. The Israeli leader later recorded a video of himself visiting a Jerusalem cafe to refute those claims.

The war with Iran, which has involved US and Israeli forces, has been a backdrop to these events. Netanyahu's comments suggest he was concerned that news of his health issues could be used by Tehran to undermine morale or spread misinformation.

Political Context

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, is due to visit the White House in the coming weeks, according to BBC. The visit comes as the US seeks to broker a lasting peace deal in the war with Iran. Elections in Israel are scheduled to be held by October, as reported by Dawn.

The revelation of his cancer treatment adds a personal health dimension to an already complex political period. However, Netanyahu emphasized that the treatment was successful and that he remains in good health, stating, "I'm in excellent physical condition," according to multiple sources.

The medical report was generally positive, declaring the prime minister in good health apart from the treated cancer, as noted by Dawn. The full details of the treatment, including the names of the medical team involved, were provided in the official report, according to the Jerusalem Post.

The story has been covered consistently across outlets, with the BBC, Dawn, and the Jerusalem Post all reporting the same core facts: the successful treatment, the delay in publication, and Netanyahu's stated reasoning. While the sources differ in the level of detail provided, no major contradictions have emerged.

The disclosure has raised questions about the transparency of leaders' health information during wartime, but Netanyahu's decision to delay the report has been reported as a strategic choice, not as a reflection of his current health status.

As Netanyahu prepares for his upcoming visit to Washington and the elections loom, the successful treatment of his prostate cancer is likely to be a minor footnote in his political narrative, given his assurances of excellent health and the focus on the ongoing conflict with Iran.