Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Releases Proof Of Life Video After Rumors Swirl That He Died

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed the rumors that he died in his latest video released on X.

Earlier this week, hundreds of users on X claimed Netanyahu died in an air strike by Iran after a video surfaced of Netanyahu that appeared to be AI-generated.

Here was the video:

No, that Netanyahu video is not AI-generated…

The viral clip showing Netanyahu appearing to have six fingers during a press conference is real footage, confirmed by PolitiFact, Snopes, and other fact-checkers who reviewed the original video from March 12th.

The "extra finger"… https://t.co/2rMhkAna5B pic.twitter.com/SjwYvcyHay

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 15, 2026

The video has since been fact-checked by Snopes:

A video shows an AI-generated depiction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with six fingers on his right hand while speaking about the Iran war, indicating officials sought to hide the fact that he had died during an Iranian missile attack.

No credible evidence suggested Netanyahu was dead, much less that the video in question was AI-generated. The Israeli Government Press Office published the original Netanyahu speech video online on March 12, 2026. Netanyahu’s hands clearly had five fingers each, not six. In one case, users visually mistook his hypothenar eminence, the name for the bulge at the base of a human little finger, for a sixth finger.

In March 2026, social media users claimed images and videos showed artificial intelligence-generated depictions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivering an Iran War speech. The users claimed there were six fingers on his right hand, one of many potential signs that an image was generated using AI.

The images and videos supposedly proved Israeli officials used AI to hide that Netanyahu had died during an Iranian missile attack.

In short, this rumor was false. The images and video clips did not show an AI-generated version of Netanyahu boasting six fingers on his right (or left) hand.

A closer look at the Israeli Government Press Office’s original video (0:34 and 0:54 marks) featured five fingers on each hand, not six. Snopes reported on March 12 that, despite internet rumors, no credible evidence suggested Netanyahu was dead.

Now, Netanyahu has addressed the rumors himself with a new video.

Take a look:

אומרים שאני מה? צפו >> pic.twitter.com/ijHPkM3ZHZ

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 15, 2026

The Sunday Guardian shared more details on the latest video by Netanyahu:

 Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the issue of misinformation has revealed how easily rumors can be transmitted in the digital world. Viral reports on the death of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following an Iranian missile strike were recently raised by the intended victim. The rumor went viral on the social media and was later debunked by the authorities.

Netanyahu looked relaxed and even funny sipping coffee in a recently released video posted online, informing the audience that the rumors were not true. The episode emphasizes how falsehoods, particularly in the times of geopolitical crises, can spread within a few hours and cause the confusions of many people.

Benjamin Netanyahu, in the highly-distributed video, looked very casual at a cafe and directly answered the ridiculous statements concerning his death. When questioned on the rumors he laughed and told him that he was still alive and he made the situation funny and joked that he was dying to have a cup of coffee.

The video became viral immediately after, as a direct reaction to the rumors that were going around on social media. Netanyahu also touched briefly at the security situation stating that the government and security agencies of Israel were carrying on with their activities.