Social media abuzz with viral rumours of Netanyahu's death
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Social media has recently been abuzz with false rumours claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian missile strike. Vedika Bahl explores the viral claims around Netanyahu's death and the continuing online speculation in this edition of Truth or Fake.
In recent days, social media has been abuzz with rumours claiming that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was killed in an Iranian missile strike. The rumour appears to have originated from a screenshot of a recent press conference, after users claimed it was a deepfake generated by artificial intelligence due to an apparent "sixth finger" visible on the Israeli PM's right hand.
The "sixth finger" claims quickly gained traction, with users speculating that the Israeli leader's appearance in public was entirely fabricated. In response to the rumours, Netanyahu shared two videos on his official accounts of himself at a café in Jerusalem, where he joked about "dying" for a coffee and showing both of his hands with five fingers.
But Netanyahu's response did little to quash the online rumours or convince the internet. Many social media users scrutinised the videos closely, asserting that these clips, too, were created using artificial intelligence, claiming to see inaccuracies in his coffee cup or his wedding ring.
Vedika Bahl deep-dives into the viral claims around Netanyahu's death and the continuing online speculation in this edition of Truth or Fake.
