Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to poke fun at rumors of his death on the Internet Thursday, telling the world he was alive.
In his first live public appearance since rumors of his death began circulating online, Netanyahu said: “First of all, I just want to say, I am alive and you are all witnesses.”
“Now that I am sending this fake message, I want to give you an update on Operation Roaring Lion,” he added, before going on to provide details of Israeli military operations against Iran, which was hit by Tel Aviv and Washington on February 28, sparking a Middle East conflict.
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Rumors of Netanyahu’s death
Rumors of Netanyahu’s death began to spread after the Israeli government’s press office released a video last week showing the Israeli prime minister addressing the public in his first press conference since the war with Tehran began.
However, some social media users claimed the footage showed Netanyahu with six fingers on one hand, which has become a notorious indicator of AI-generated content, with AI routinely corrupting images involving human hands.
As Iranian strikes continue against Israel and other Gulf countries that host US bases, the claim quickly spread, sparking rumors that the Israeli prime minister was either dead or seriously injured in Tehran’s strikes.
Iranian state media also picked up on the internet rumors and spread them, while users also shared an alleged Al Jazeera report confirming Netanyahu’s death – a claim that was subsequently debunked by fact-checkers.
However, Netanyahu was not completely silent as the rumors spread across the Internet.
Read also | Netanyahu again dismisses death rumors – then issues chilling warning to Iran
Netanyahu refutes rumors on social media
The Israeli prime minister has been constantly posting clips on social media over the past few days, some of which directly address the rumors.
Earlier this week, Netanyahu released a video with the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, to deny the rumours.
In the video, the US envoy was heard saying: “Mr. Prime Minister, I wanted you to know that the president (Donald Trump) wanted me to come and make sure you’re OK,” before bursting into laughter.
“Yes, Mike, yes. I’m alive,” a smiling Netanyahu can be seen replying before the two continue their conversation.
Meanwhile, last week, on Sunday, Netanyahu released a clip of himself at a coffee shop on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
After taking a coffee from the cashier, Netanyahu raised his hands to point fingers at each, directly addressing AI’s claims.
When his aide asked him about rumors of his death, Netanyahu responded with a pun. In Hebrew slang, the word for “dead” can also mean “to be crazy about something.” “I’m crazy about coffee. You know what? I’m crazy about my people,” he said in Hebrew.
Rumors of Netanyahu’s death are yet another example of AI fueling disinformation about war. Earlier, a viral video claiming the destruction of US aircraft carrier Gerald R Ford surfaced before it was debunked because the content was generated by AI.
