Benjamin Netanyahu Discloses Early-Stage Prostate Cancer After Two-Month Delay Amid Iran War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that he was diagnosed with and treated for early-stage prostate cancer, and he tied the timing of his disclosure to Israel’s war with Iran.

The Washington Post reported that Netanyahu delayed revealing his condition for two months “to avoid it being used against Israel amid the war with Iran,” and it described his disclosure as coming in the context of the conflict.

ABC

WCTV, citing CNN, said Netanyahu “delayed the release because he didn’t want it used as propaganda by Iran,” and it added that he publicized his annual medical report Friday after a two-month delay.

iHeart said Netanyahu announced Friday (April 24) that he was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer and had already completed successful treatment, and it placed the announcement “as the region experiences a wartime ceasefire between Israel and Iran.”

People likewise said Netanyahu revealed on Friday, April 24, that he is in treatment for “very early stage” prostate cancer, and it described him as “76-year-old” and leading Israel in conflicts including “the U.S.-led war with Iran and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.”

ynetnews added that Netanyahu’s disclosure came in his annual health report, which was released “after a significant delay,” and it reported that he underwent “targeted radiation therapy.”

Across the accounts, the core sequence is consistent: Netanyahu disclosed the diagnosis in an annual health report after a delay, and he said he completed treatment for an early-stage malignant tumor.

ynetnews and People both described the diagnosis as early and small, and they linked it to routine monitoring after surgery for a benign prostate condition.

ynetnews said Netanyahu’s prostate cancer was discovered “incidentally during routine follow-up,” after an MRI scan conducted “following surgery for benign prostate enlargement on Dec. 29, 2024,” and it reported the diagnosis as “prostate adenocarcinoma, the most common form of prostate cancer.”

Al Jazeera

It added that the tumor was “very small, measuring just 0.9 centimeters (0.35 inches), with no metastases,” and it characterized the finding as “an incidental finding.”

People said Netanyahu described “a tiny spot of less than a centimeter” that he said was “a very early stage of a malignant tumor, with no spread or metastases whatsoever,” and it said the most recent prostate check followed his December 2024 surgery.

WCTV, citing CNN, said Netanyahu underwent surgery in 2024 for “a benign enlarged prostate,” and it reported that during the last checkup doctors found “an early-stage malignant tumor.”

WCTV further stated that Netanyahu said the tumor was removed and “no trace of it” was left, while CNN’s source told WCTV that he was diagnosed “a few months ago.”

iHeart said doctors found “a malignant tumor less than a centimeter in size,” and it stated that tests confirmed “there was no spread of the cancer.”

Multiple sources tied Netanyahu’s delay in publishing his medical report to the war and to concerns about propaganda.

The Washington Post said Netanyahu delayed revealing his condition for two months “to avoid it being used against Israel amid the war with Iran,” and it framed the decision as connected to the conflict.

WCTV, citing CNN, reported that Netanyahu said he delayed the release because he didn’t want it used as propaganda by Iran, and it quoted the rationale as “he didn’t want it used as propaganda by Iran.”

iHeart described Netanyahu’s explanation in a statement, saying he requested to delay publication “so that it would not be released at the height of the war, in order not to allow the Iranian terror regime to spread even more false propaganda against Israel.”

People similarly said Netanyahu delayed the announcement for two months due to the war in Iran, and it quoted him writing: “When I'm given information in time about a potential danger, I want to address it immediately,” and “This is true on the national level and also on the personal level. That's what I did.”

People also described the announcement as coming as Netanyahu leads Israel in conflicts that have killed thousands, including “the U.S.-led war with Iran and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon,” and it noted that neither President Donald Trump nor the White House immediately commented on the announcement.

WCTV added that Netanyahu’s announcement comes as he is expected to visit the White House “in the next few weeks to help the U.S. broker a peace deal with Iran.”

The sources describe Netanyahu’s treatment as targeted radiation therapy completed about two and a half months before the Friday disclosure, with some details left unspecified.

ynetnews said Netanyahu “underwent targeted radiation therapy,” and it reported that the treatment was successful, while also stating that “several key questions remain unanswered.”

Al-Monitor

It said the official report did not specify “which method was used, how many sessions were performed or whether anesthesia was required,” even though it discussed possible radiation approaches such as “five to six sessions” for stereotactic body radiation therapy and brachytherapy involving implanted seeds.

iHeart said Netanyahu’s medical team recommended targeted radiation therapy, which Netanyahu completed “about two and a half months ago,” and it added that the early detection meant the cancer had not metastasized and that the treatment left “no trace” of the disease.

WCTV, citing CNN, said Netanyahu began radiation about “two and a half months ago” and recently completed the treatment, and it reported that Netanyahu said “no trace of it” was left.

People said Netanyahu underwent radiation therapy on “several occasions” and thanked a hospital in Jerusalem, while also quoting him that he is “healthy” and that he had “a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated.”

ynetnews added that Netanyahu was offered two options—“active surveillance or radiation therapy”—and that he chose radiation, with findings indicating the disease has disappeared and that he will continue routine follow-up.

ynetnews provides a broader medical context for prostate cancer and places Netanyahu’s case within a spectrum of risk, while other sources focus on the political setting and the immediate lack of comment.

ynetnews quoted Prof. Aron Popovtzer, head of the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Center, saying the cancer is “very common among men over 70” and that it was discovered “incidentally during routine follow-up.”

BBC

It also quoted Prof. Amnon Zisman, head of urology at Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), saying, “Even among those diagnosed, it is often not clinically significant, likely as in this case,” and it quoted Dr. Daniel Keizman saying prostate cancer is “the most common cancer among men in Israel, with about 3,300 new cases annually.”

ynetnews quoted Dr. Orit Raz, head of urology at Assuta Ashdod, saying prostate cancer spans “a wide clinical spectrum,” and it quoted Popovtzer emphasizing that it is “a very common disease.”

The Washington Post framed the public reaction by saying “The comments reflect a strong sentiment of distrust and disdain towards Netanyahu,” and it described readers expressing skepticism about his cancer diagnosis and suggesting it might be “a ploy for sympathy or to avoid legal consequences.”

People said neither President Donald Trump nor the White House immediately commented on Netanyahu’s announcement, and it placed the disclosure amid ceasefire and negotiations.

WCTV, citing the BBC, said Netanyahu’s announcement comes as he is expected to visit the White House “in the next few weeks to help the U.S. broker a peace deal with Iran.”