Shimon Peres, former Israeli president, dies aged 93

Shimon Peres

Shimon Peres, who served twice as Israel's prime minister and once as president, has died at the age of 93.

Mr Peres suffered a stroke two weeks ago. His condition had improved before a sudden deterioration on Tuesday.

His son Chemi led tributes to "one of the founding fathers of the state of Israel" who "worked tirelessly" for it.

World figures are expected to attend his funeral in Jerusalem on Friday, including US President Barack Obama, Prince Charles and Pope Francis.

Mr Peres was one of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nation's birth in 1948.

He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.

He once said the Palestinians were Israel's "closest neighbours" and might become its "closest friends".

Mr Peres died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday, with his family at his bedside.

He had been in the intensive care unit of the Sheba Medical Centre after suffering a major stroke on 13 September.

The funeral will be held at Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery in Jerusalem.

The Clintons, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UK Prime Minister Theresa May have all confirmed they will attend, Israel's Foreign Ministry said.

'Giant among men'

He "left us without suffering", said Rafi Walden, his son-in-law.

Mr Peres's son, Chemi, said of his father: "He served our people before we even had a country of our own.

"He worked tirelessly for Israel from the very first day of the state to the last day of his life.

"My father used to say - and I'm quoting - you are only as great as the cause you serve."

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his "deep sorrow" over Mr Peres' death.

"As a man of vision, his gaze was aimed to the future," he said in a video statement.

"As a man of security, he fortified Israel's strength in many ways, some of which even today are still unknown.

"As a man of peace, he worked until his final days toward reconciling with our neighbours for a better future for our children.''

Meanwhile US President Barack Obama called Mr Peres his "dear friend" in a statement, and said: "He was guided by a vision of the human dignity and progress that he knew people of goodwill could advance together."

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement calling Peres's death "a great loss to humanity and peace in the region", according to the Reuters news agency.

But the militant Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which dominates the Gaza Strip, expressed happiness.

"Shimon Peres was the last remaining Israeli officials who founded the occupation," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told the Associated Press. "His death is the end of a phase in the history of this occupation and the beginning of a new phase of weakness."