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| - Last Updated on November 26, 2024 by Dr Priyamvada
Quick Take
A social media post claims to show Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a ventilator in a hospital. However, this claim is false.
The Claim
A post on Threads suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been hospitalised after a serious health issue in Kiryah. The post further suggests that he has been moved to a hospital in Tel Aviv. The post includes an image of a person in a hospital bed, with the claim stating this is an “archive pic” of Netanyahu.
Fact Check
Is the photo actually genuine?
No, the photo is not genuine. The image has clear signs of digital manipulation, which have been confirmed by an analysis from TrueMedia. One major issue is the shape of the ear. The ear in this image does not match Netanyahu’s real ear, which can be clearly seen in other verified photos, such as those published by Al Jazeera and The Guardian. The real Netanyahu’s ear has sharp, distinct curves around the upper and lower parts of the ear canal, which are absent in the claim image.
Does the image have signs of manipulation?
Yes, the image shows several signs of manipulation. For instance, there is a strange line near the oxygen tube in the image, which appears to be an unconnected wire or tube. In real photographs, such objects would have a logical placement and corresponding shadows, but here, the item doesn’t match the rest of the image, suggesting digital editing. Additionally, the cords holding the mask are unnaturally attached, with the upper cord blending into the mask in a way that doesn’t make sense for a real medical setting. On the left, the person’s shoulder is draped with a white sheet that blends into the pillow, which also seems artificially altered, as the merge looks unnatural for a real scene.
Similarly, we have also debunked a social media post that falsely claimed a hospital photo to be from Singapore.
Has Netanyahu been hospitalised recently?
No, there are no credible reports confirming Netanyahu’s hospitalisation in November 2024. We conducted thorough research on Google using relevant keywords such as “Benjamin Netanyahu AND hospitalization AND health condition”, “Netanyahu AND hospital admission AND November 2024”, “Netanyahu AND admitted AND health issue OR ventilator”, and “Benjamin Netanyahu AND Israel Prime Minister AND hospital admission”. However, we found no recent reports confirming his hospitalisation. While Netanyahu has undergone medical procedures in the past, including the installation of a pacemaker in 2023 and hernia surgery in 2024, there have been no reports of a hospitalisation in November 2024 that align with the claims made in the social media post.
Fake news often targets Prime Ministers! For example, we thoroughly debunked a false claim that the Canadian Prime Minister called for a social boycott of unvaccinated people.
Why is the image still circulating despite the inconsistencies?
The image has been circulating since at least November 2023, and its presence in posts on social media, including the one in November 2024, suggests that it is being used to spread misinformation. Given its manipulation, the image is an example of how digital content can be used to mislead people, even when the truth is easily accessible with a bit of fact checking.
What should we do when faced with similar claims?
It’s important to critically examine images and claims that appear online, especially when they come from unverified sources. Tools like reverse image searches can help trace the origins of images, and fact checking sites can provide reliable information. In this case, by checking Netanyahu’s official social media profiles and the lack of reports from credible news outlets, we can confirm that the image is false.
THIP Media Take
The image circulating on social media does not show Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a hospital on a ventilator. It has been digitally manipulated, and no credible sources confirm the hospitalisation. It’s essential to approach such claims with scepticism and rely on trustworthy sources to get the correct information.
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