Netanyahu posts video amid death rumors speculation

A video recently shared by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his X account has sparked fresh debate regarding rumors of his death. The Jerusalem Post reported that Sunday evening, Netanyahu was seen ordering coffee and engaging in a brief conversation with someone filming him. The post included a caption reading: “They say I am what?” In the dialogue, which appears to be conducted in Hebrew, Netanyahu is quoted as saying, “I love… coffee, I love my nation,” while also using the slang term “met” meaning “dead.”

Netanyahu’s remarks were humorously translated into English as, “I am dead … for coffee.” The report indicated that he also playfully asked if the person filming wanted to count his fingers in jest. This was seen as a counterpoint to theories suggesting Netanyahu might have appeared AI-generated in a separate video he shared on X recently.

Previously, Netanyahu’s office had dismissed claims of him being killed by an Iranian response to US and Israeli strikes. An Anadolu Agency correspondent sought clarification from the prime minister’s office regarding these escalating social media rumors. The office responded: “These are fake news; the prime minister is fine.”

The speculation surrounding Netanyahu’s state of health has been fueled by various online users who have cited his missed war council meetings over the past few days as evidence. Some further speculated that a video from his X account showed him with six fingers, which they believed to be an AI-generated fabrication and potential indication of his demise.

This conjecture emerged in the context of ongoing hostilities in the Middle East that began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. On the same day, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated in a joint attack by the United States and Israel. In response to these events, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed to continue pursuing Netanyahu with “full force,” claiming he is still alive.

The video in question from Netanyahu’s X account seemed to contradict these allegations, as the Prime Minister raised both hands to the camera, directly addressing those who speculated his demise on social media.