Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday addressed the rumors and conspiracy theories that have been going viral on the internet in recent days, which claimed that he is not alive and that the most recent video of him was created using artificial intelligence.
The rumors gained momentum after users around the world circulated a screenshot from footage of the prime minister, claiming that his hand appeared distorted and that it had six fingers, a common error in video generation models based on artificial intelligence.
Netanyahu was asked directly about the rumors: "On the internet they're saying you're dead." The Prime Minister answered humourously, using the term "dead" as the Israeli slang for in-love: "I'm dead for coffee, for my people. They behave fantastically."
Netanyahu even lifted his hands to the camera and said sarcastically, "Want to count my fingers?" referring to the conspiracy theories' main "proof."