Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally released a video of himself drinking coffee at a café to deny rumors of his death.
On Sunday, Netanyahu posted a roughly one-minute video on social media showing him visiting a café in suburban Jerusalem, ordering coffee, and receiving his drink.
In the video, when an aide asked about the death rumors, he replied in Hebrew, "I'm dying for coffee. I'm dying for our people." He also spread out his five fingers, apparently to prove the video was not AI-generated. Reuters reported that Netanyahu's visit was confirmed through a post uploaded by the café itself.
The rumors originated from a video address by Netanyahu released on May 13. Unverified claims spread on social media that "six fingers are visible on his right hand," which escalated into rumors that "he died in an Iranian attack and the Israeli government is covering it up with AI video."
American conservative political commentator Candace Owens also raised suspicions on X (formerly Twitter), asking, "Why did the Prime Minister's Office upload and then delete his AI video?"
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also referenced the death rumors. Sepah News, a media outlet operated by the IRGC, stated, "If this criminal is alive, we will pursue and eliminate him with all our strength." The phrase "if alive" is interpreted as acknowledging the death rumors.
Experts have dismissed the rumors, noting that camera angles and lighting can make fingers appear abnormal. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office also officially denied the claims in response to an inquiry from Turkey's Anadolu Agency, stating, "This is fake news. The Prime Minister is in good health."
