•Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is awake and recovering following a successful prostate removal surgery conducted at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem, his office announced late Sunday.
The premier has been transferred to a secure, fortified underground recovery ward due to ongoing security concerns tied to the war, reports AFP.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the procedure was complication-free.
“The surgery ended successfully without complications. The prime minister has woken up, is in good condition, and is fully conscious,” it read.
Netanyahu, 75, will remain under observation for several days in the fortified ward as medical staff continue monitoring his recovery.
The surgery was deemed necessary after doctors identified an infection in his urinary tract caused by a benign enlargement of the prostate.
The procedure was carried out under full anaesthesia by a team of specialists led by Prof. Ofer Gofrit, head of Hadassah’s urology department, alongside senior urologist Dr Ehud Gnessin from Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre and Prof. Mordechai Duvdevani, head of Ein Kerem’s Endourology Unit. According to Prof. Gofrit, the surgery “went as planned,” lasting approximately two hours.
During the operation, Justice Minister Yariv Levin assumed the role of acting prime minister, while Defence Minister Israel Katz was authorised to convene the security cabinet if necessary.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader with 17 cumulative years in office, has faced health challenges in recent years but continues to project an image of vigour and endurance.
At 75, Netanyahu joins a roster of aging world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, 82; President-elect Donald Trump, 78; Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 79; and Pope Francis, 88, whose health has also been a subject of public scrutiny.
