A bizarre trend on social media is drawing attention, where users are building detailed “proofs” to support a false claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has died.
The rumours about Netanyahu's death have been surfacing online over the past few days.
To debunk those rumours, the Israeli Prime Minister also shared a video of him enjoying coffee. Furthermore, Israel also shared a photo of Netanyahu from the command room to dismiss viral rumours claiming he had been killed.
The trend started with a post by American journalist Ethan Levins. Soon after, several users began posting similar messages, repeating the line “Netanyahu died on…” and then adding their own reasons to support it.
These posts did not just make the claim. They tried to back it with what users called “signs.” One common point mentioned was the silence of Netanyahu's son, Yair Netanyahu. Users said his recent lack of posts on social media could be a hint that something serious had happened.
ALSO READ: 'Watching From Above': Benjamin Netanyahu Appears In New Video Amid Death Rumours
Users claimed that the timing of Yair's inactivity on Social Media from March 8-15 coincided with shiva, a seven-day mourning period in Jewish custom, suggesting this could explain why there were no public appearances. These ideas were shared as if they were facts, even though there was no real evidence.
Some users also brought in global politics. A few posts pointed to US President Donald Trump, saying he seemed unusually quiet or serious in recent days. They presented this as another “sign” linked to the claim.
The comments under these posts added another layer to the trend. Some users played along, adding more “proofs” like lack of media coverage or missing public events. Others treated it like a puzzle, trying to connect different pieces of information, some users shared AI deepfakes of PM Netanyahu directing that videos shared by Israeli authorities to claim his life are created from AI.
Several users also speculate that "when a Government puts out multiple AI videos to prove their leader is alive, their leader is no longer alive."
At the same time, many users pushed back. Several comments pointed out that the claim was false and criticised how quickly such posts spread. Some said the trend shows how easily people can be misled when information is repeated again and again.
There were also users who were confused at first and asked if the claim was real. This showed how the mix of serious tone and detailed “evidence” made the posts look believable.
With repeated posts and active comment threads, even a false claim can appear real to some users.
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