• Source:JND

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, speculations about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s whereabouts and health have spread widely across the internet. As several posts alleged that Netanyahu had been assassinated, his office stepped in on Saturday to dismiss the claims, calling them "fake". 

"These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine," Netanyahu office told Anadolu Agency.

What’s Netanyahu's 'Six‑Finger' Controversy?

Israeli PM Netanyahu on Friday shared a video on his X account. He discussed the ongoing war of the US and Israel against Iran, which entered the 15th day. The first day of the war witnessed the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The viewers claimed that the video showed Netanyahu having six fingers on his right hand. Comments poured on the post in no time. Netizens said that the video is AI-generated and fake. A user wrote that the video is a "classic AI finger glitch," directing the viewers "to look closely at his hand."

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Some users with unverified accounts claimed that Netanyahu is dead. X's AI chatbot then fact-checked the accounts and clarified those as fake.

Most users believe that the Israeli Prime Minister died a long time ago. The country has made fake AI videos of the Prime Minister, the users said. One of the netizens wrote in Hebrew, "Hey Bibi, are you so special that you've got 6 fingers, or have you been gone from us a long time ago?"

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One of the most eye-catching and controversial posts was made by American conservative political commentator Candace Owens. Sharing a post on X, she asked, "Where's Bibi?" referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. "Why is his office releasing and deleting fake AI videos of him, and why is there mass panic at the White House?" the post added.

Grok also clarified that Netanyahu is alive and rumours about his death should not be entertained. It added that the claims of death have been verified and proved fake by Snopes, Times of Israel, and many other organisations.


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