Netanyahu posts video of himself having coffee at a cafe amid rumors of his death
"I'm crazy about coffee," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has posted a video of himself at a cafe – amid social media reports of his death as Israel and Iran trade air attacks.
In the video, which was taken at a cafe in Jerusalem's outskirts and posted on X, Netanyahu's aide asks him in Hebrew about the rumors, which have circulated amid his few public appearances in recent days, Reuters reported.
Netanyahu responds in Hebrew with a pun on the word 'dead' – which in Hebrew slang can be used to describe "being crazy about" someone or something – as he reaches for a cup of coffee.
"I'm crazy about coffee. You know what? I’m crazy about my people," Netanyahu tells the aide.
Reuters reported that it verified the video's location from file imagery of the cafe, which matched the interiors seen in the video. The date of the video was verified from multiple videos and photos of Netanyahu's visit posted by the cafe on Sunday.
Netanyahu has visited at least two Israeli towns hit by Iranian missiles since Israel and the U.S. began launching air strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. There was little to no media access to the visits, and videos of the visits were distributed by his office.
Since the war began, emergency safety restrictions have banned public gatherings and kept most people at home or close to shelters and safe rooms, with schools shut across most of the country.
Iran's supreme leader was killed on the first day of the joint strikes.
Speculation about whether Netanyahu is dead in large part started after X post in him momentarily seen with six fingers on his right hand.