‘Narcissist’ Netanyahu scorned for saying delay of son’s wedding was ‘personal cost’ amid wars on Gaza, Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been ridiculed after saying he understands the impact of war as he is suffering the "personal cost" of having to postpone his son’s wedding.

The comments were made in a televised address as he stood outside a destroyed hospital in Beersheba, hours after it was struck by Iranian missiles in a retaliatory strike.

"Each of us bears a personal cost, and my family has not been exempt. This is the second time that my son Avner has cancelled a wedding due to missile threats. It is a personal cost for his fiancée as well, and I must say that my dear wife is a hero, and she bears a personal cost," he said.

His son, Avner, was set to get married in November, but the celebration was pushed back due to security reasons. He was then set to marry on Monday this week, despite opposition protests planned.

Netanyahu's remarks come amid Israel’s devastating war on Gaza, which has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, levelled entire neighbourhoods, plunged the Strip into a deep humanitarian crisis and displaced the vast majority of the enclave’s population.

Israel has for the past eight days also been striking Iran, killing at least 639 people and forcing hundreds of Tehran’s citizens to flee from their homes.

Retaliatory strikes from Iran have in turn killed at least 24 Israelis and destroyed several buildings in Tel Aviv as well as other cities, sparking fear and sending many Israelis into bomb shelters.

Netanyahu, in his speech, compared the retaliatory strikes on Israel to the Blitz in Britain during World War Two.

‘Narcissist’ Netanyahu

The premier’s comments have especially angered the families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, with one woman whose son remains in Gaza writing on X: "I have been in the hellish dungeons of Gaza for 622 days now. I am waiting for you, Prime Minister, to save him".

A member of the Israeli Knesset, Gilad Kariv, responded to Netanyahu’s comments, labelling him a "narcissist".

"I know many families who were not forced to postpone a wedding, but who will now never celebrate the weddings that were once meant to take place," Kariv added.

Social media users reacted with particular ire to Netanyahu's attempt to appear relatable as he leads a genocidal war against Gaza.

"He's slaughtered entire families, but yeah, his son's wedding will be late, so we now know who the real victim is," one person commented on X.

"Oh no! Netanyahu’s son had to cancel his wedding? To all Israelis, look at the sacrifice your leader had make for you!!!," another sarcastically commented.

Meanwhile, some shared harrowing photos of Israeli attacks in Gaza, comparing them with the Israeli leader’s tone-deaf comment.

One such post showed a Palestinian man engulfed in flames following an Israeli strike in the enclave.

Netanyahu's henna party

Earlier this year, Netanyahu was sharply criticised for attending his son’s henna party amid the raging war on Gaza.

Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were both seen at the lavish celebration in central Israel, despite earlier claims that he would not attend amid widespread protests from anti-government demonstrators.

Footage showed Netanyahu and Sara sitting on a gold throne-design couch with their son Avner and his fiancée, as guests in the venue clapped and cheered for them, offering their congratulations.

Dozens of police were stationed in the Mazor area near Tel Aviv, where the event took place, with roads closed to prevent protesters from blocking off access to the community, Israeli media reported.

At the time, many pointed out that the party came just days after an Israeli soldier in Gaza was killed and five others were wounded, three of them seriously, in the north of the Strip.