Edited photo shared to claim Netanyahu has contracted 'mutated strain of COVID-19'

What is the claim?

A photograph allegedly depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hospitalized with COVID-19 has circulated widely on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The claim accompanying the image suggests that Netanyahu has contracted a mutated strain of the coronavirus and is in critical condition, garnering over 50,000 views. Links to archived versions of these posts can be accessed here and here.

Post claiming Netanyahu has been infected with COVID-19. (Source:X)

The backdrop of this viral photo is the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. An attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, resulted in over 1,100 fatalities. In response, the Netanyahu-led Israeli government initiated a controversial military operation in Gaza, resulting in over 30,000 deaths and the destruction or damage of more than 70 percent of residential structures, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

However, an examination reveals that the photo has been manipulated, with Netanyahu's face superimposed onto the body of an attack victim. 

What is the truth?

A reverse image search led to the discovery of the original photo, posted on Netanyahu’s official Facebook page on October 6, 2015. The original photo shows a different individual on the hospital bed, though the setting matches that of the viral image, aside from being a mirrored version.

A side-by-side comparison confirms that the viral photo was edited: it is a mirror image of the original, with Netanyahu’s face digitally added.

Comparison of the edited and the original photo. (Source: X, Benjamin Netanyahu/Facebook)

Story Behind the original photo

The caption accompanying the Facebook post, translated from Hebrew, describes the photograph as capturing the moment Netanyahu's wife visited Adel Bennett and her son Nathan, who were victims of a terror attack, at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. The caption further noted that the attack occurred in Jerusalem "last Saturday," corresponding to October 3, 2015, based on the publication date of the specific Facebook post.

To verify this information, we conducted a a Google search using the details provided and discovered numerous news reports confirming that a stabbing attack indeed occurred at the Lions' Gate in Jerusalem on October 3, 2015. This attack resulted in three fatalities, including the attacker, and left two others injured. Further confirmation from news reports revealed that the injured victims were admitted to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

We also located a government press release from the same date identifying the survivors as Adel Bennett and her son Nathan, further confirming the incident and the identity of the individuals in the viral photo.

Additionally, a news report by Ynet dated October 6, 2015, featured a video showing similar visuals of the Prime Minister's wife, Sara Netanyahu, visiting the hospital and speaking with the victim. This report also included a photo of her with the same victim, taken from a different angle but with the same individuals visible in the background. 

Photo from Sara Netanyahu’s hospital visit. (Source: Screenshot/Kobi Gideon/L.A.M/Ynet)

No recent reports support the claim that Netanyahu has been hospitalized with COVID-19. His last known infection was in March 2022.

The verdict

The viral photo purporting to show Benjamin Netanyahu in a hospital bed due to COVID-19 is digitally altered and misleading. The original photograph captures a moment from 2015 involving an attack victim visited by Netanyahu's wife in a Jerusalem hospital. There is no evidence Netanyahu has recently contracted COVID-19.