Israeli PM says he was treated for early-stage prostate cancer

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that he was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer following routine surgery in 2024, adding that the condition had been fully treated and left no trace.

According to an annual health report released by his office, Netanyahu underwent surgery for a benign prostate condition in December 2024. Follow-up checks found a small malignant spot, "less than one centimeter," at an early stage with no signs of spread.

The prime minister said that the spot was treated and has since completely disappeared.

"I am healthy," Netanyahu wrote on social media platform X, adding that he is in "excellent physical condition."

Netanyahu said that doctors offered him two options -- continued monitoring or active treatment -- and that he chose to act without delay.

He said he had delayed the report's release by two months to prevent Iran's government from using it for what he called "false propaganda" during the ongoing conflict.