Netanyahu Addresses Death Rumors with New Video Amid Ongoing Conflict

Netanyahu's Video Response to Death Speculations

Speculation regarding the death of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has persisted online, despite the 76-year-old leader sharing a video where he appears to be speaking from a café in Tel Aviv. This footage was released on Sunday through his official social media channels amidst the ongoing tensions involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. However, the video quickly became a subject of new speculation, with some users suggesting it might have been created using artificial intelligence.

The rumors intensified after an earlier video of Netanyahu circulated, where some observers claimed he had six fingers on one hand. This assertion was later debunked by Anadolu Agency, which labeled it a hoax. Attention then shifted to the recent café video, especially after Grok, a chatbot on the social media platform X, responded to inquiries about its authenticity.

In response to a question, the chatbot claimed, "It's AI-generated," and further stated that the video was "100% deepfake." It elaborated, asserting, "This is a deepfake of Benjamin Netanyahu casually in a coffee shop, discussing Iran/Lebanon operations while sipping coffee—no real event like this has occurred. The original post clearly identifies it as advanced unreleased AI technology." When pressed again, the chatbot reiterated its stance, emphasizing that such a scenario had not been reported anywhere.

The video, shared from Netanyahu's official accounts, has sparked further debate about its legitimacy. This speculation arises amid a surge of misinformation following a US-Israeli strike in Tehran that resulted in the death of Iran's former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. Shortly after, rumors emerged claiming Netanyahu had been assassinated. When these claims were countered with recent images and posts from his official accounts, new allegations surfaced, suggesting that Netanyahu's brother, Iddo Netanyahu, and Israel's National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, had also been killed in an airstrike. These claims were quickly disproven, confirming both men were safe.

Updates from Netanyahu's official accounts indicate he remains in Tel Aviv. On Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office shared the café video alongside another clip from a television news broadcast related to the ongoing conflict. The lack of posts on Saturday likely fueled speculation regarding his status. Earlier in the conflict, there were also unfounded claims that Netanyahu had fled to Berlin, Germany, due to fears of an Iranian assassination attempt, which have since been dismissed.