Israeli PM Netanyahu Undergoes Successful Prostate Removal Surgery

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection resulting from a benign prostate enlargement.

Benjamin Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues.

Source : X

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent a successful prostate removal surgery on Sunday. The procedure comes as Netanyahu navigates multiple crises, including the war in Gaza and his ongoing trial for alleged corruption.

According to a CNN report, Israel’s prime minister has had a series of health over the recent years and has tried hard to project a public image of himself as a healthy, energetic leader. Netanyahu underwent a test at Hadassah Hospital on Wednesday, where he was "diagnosed with a urinary tract infection resulting from a benign prostate enlargement," the prime minister's office said in a statement.

However, Netanyahu, 75, is among older world leaders including US President Joe Biden, 82, and President-elect Donald Trump, 78, who have come under scrutiny for their age and health issues.

While Netanyahu’s recent condition is common among older men, the procedure had some fallout. The judges presiding over his trial accepted a request from his lawyer, Amit Hadad, on Sunday to cancel three days of the testimony scheduled for this week. The lawyer argued that Netanyahu would be fully sedated for the procedure and hospitalised for several days.

As per CNN, on Sunday, Dr Ofer Gofrit, head of the urology department at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, in a video statement said that the procedure had gone well and “there was no fear” of cancer or malignancy.

“We only hope for the best,” he said.

In a statement, the Israeli Prime Minister thanked his doctors and said that his office was fully alert and was taken to an underground recovery unit fortified against potential missile attacks. He is expected to remain in the hospital for several days of observation.

Justice Minister Yariv Levin, a close ally of Netanyahu, assumed the role of acting prime minister during the operation. Given the stakes involved, Netanyahu's health during this wartime period is a significant concern, not only for Israelis but also for the international community.

In March, he underwent a hernia surgery, while in July last year, doctors implanted a pacemaker in Netanyahu after a medical scare.