‘Benjamin Netanyahu is Very Much Alive’: Israel’s Envoy Reuven Azar Refutes Death Rumours and AI-Deepfake Claims Over Viral Cafe Video (Watch)
Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has officially dismissed widespread social media rumors regarding the health and status of PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking on Monday, the envoy confirmed that Netanyahu is "very much alive" and clarified that a recent viral video showing the Prime Minister at a cafe is authentic and not a product of artificial intelligence (AI).
New Delhi, March 16: Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has officially dismissed widespread social media rumors regarding the health and status of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking on Monday, the envoy confirmed that Netanyahu is "very much alive" and clarified that a recent viral video showing the Prime Minister at a cafe is authentic and not a product of artificial intelligence (AI). The intervention follows a wave of online reports alleging that recent public addresses by the Israeli leader were AI-generated, with some posts further speculating that he had died during the ongoing regional conflict. Benjamin Netanyahu Death Rumours: New Video Released To Clear the Air Triggers Fresh Row, Netizens Again Call It ‘AI-Generated’.
The rumors gained significant traction following the escalation of the Iran-Israel war, which intensified after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian military assets on February 28. In the aftermath, a perceived "six-finger" glitch in a televised address led conspiracy theorists to claim the footage was a deepfake used to hide Netanyahu's death or assassination. Ambassador Azar clarified the situation, stating that Prime Minister Netanyahu is alive, that he has seen him personally in Israel more than once, and that the video at the cafe is not AI-fabricated, despite the heavy volume of disinformation currently circulating. ‘They Say I’m What?’: Benjamin Netanyahu Releases Video Showing Five Fingers To Debunk Death Rumours.
'Benjamin Netanyahu Video is Not AI-Fabricated'
In the cafe footage released on Sunday, Netanyahu is seen ordering coffee and directly addressing the "six-finger" allegations by holding up his hands to the camera. "Do you want to count the number of fingers?" he joked, using a Hebrew pun to mock the claims. Diplomatic officials have labeled the rumors as a coordinated psychological operation intended to sow panic. While AI detection tools like Grok initially flagged the footage as suspicious, ground reports and diplomatic confirmations have verified the Prime Minister is actively managing government affairs from Jerusalem.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2026 01:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).