Netanyahu reveals he quietly underwent treatment for undisclosed prostate cancer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a video statement on Thursday, April 16, 2026. (GPO via CNN Newsource)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quietly underwent treatment for prostate cancer, he said Friday, as he publicized the results of his annual medical examination.

Netanyahu, 76, said he delayed the release of his annual medical report – which revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer for the first time – by two months so that it wouldn’t be used as propaganda by Iran.

The longest-serving leader in Israel’s history underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate in December 2024, an operation the Prime Minister’s Office disclosed publicly at the time. In the latest check-up following the surgery, Netanyahu revealed in a statement on social media that doctors discovered a malignant tumor in his prostate of less than a centimetre.

The Prime Minister’s Office also released two letters from his doctors to accompany the revelation on social media. “This is an early detection of a very small lesions, with no metastases, as all other tests confirmed beyond any doubt,” one letter said.

He does not reveal when the last check was, but an Israeli source familiar with the matter told CNN that the cancer was diagnosed several months ago. Netanyahu began undergoing radiation therapy about two and a half months ago, according to the source, and had recently completed the treatment.

Netanyahu says he made the decision to undergo targeted radiation therapy and “the spot disappeared completely.”

“Thank God, I am healthy,” Netanyahu said on social media. “I had a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated.”

Israel’s longest-serving prime minister has undergone several surgeries during his time in office.

In July 2023, Netanyahu was fitted with a pacemaker after he was urgently admitted to the hospital because of what doctors said was a “transient heart block.” One week earlier, doctors said he had a “fainting episode,” though his office only said he had experienced dizziness. Since he was sedated for the operation to insert the pacemaker, he appointed a minister to temporarily take his place.

In March 2024, Netanyahu underwent surgery to treat a hernia. He had a similar surgery 11 years earlier.

By Tal Shalev and Dana Karni, CNN