Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to undergo surgery for a hernia under full anesthesia, according to a statement by his office. The 74-year-old was diagnosed with the hernia during a routine examination on Saturday and is set to have the surgery at the end of business hours on Sunday.
During Netanyahu’s absence, Israel’s deputy prime minister and justice minister, Yariv Levin, will step in to fulfill his duties. This comes at a time when Israel is facing conflict with Hamas in Gaza following recent attacks.
Netanyahu expressed optimism about the outcome of the procedure in a news conference prior to the surgery, stating that he expects to return to work quickly. This will be his second surgery since returning to office in late 2022, following a health scare last summer in which he was fitted for a pacemaker to address a transient heart block. Netanyahu previously underwent hernia surgery in 2013.
The surgery coincides with renewed talks between Israel and Hamas in Cairo to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by the militant group in exchange for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict. The negotiations had reached a standstill in the previous week, following a surge in casualties in Gaza. A hernia is a condition where a gap in the abdominal muscular wall allows abdominal contents to protrude outward, as explained by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
