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Shimon Peres dead: Former Israeli president dies after suffering stroke at at 93 Shimon Peres dead: Former Israeli president dies after suffering stroke at at 93
(about 4 hours later)
Former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres has died. He was 93. Former Israeli president and prime minister Shimon Peres has died. He was 93. 
The Sheba Medical Centre in Tel Aviv announced Peres' death at 3.40 am Wednesday morning, according to the official government Israel New Agency. The Sheba Medical Centre in Tel Aviv announced Peres' death at 3.40 am Wednesday morning, according to the official government Israel New Agency. 
Peres was hospitalised after suffering a stroke on 13 September. He had made some progress, but his health suddenly deteriorated on Tuesday, interior minister Aryeh Deri told reporters.  US President Barack Obama led tributes to Mr Peres, whom he descibed as a friend and the "essence of Israel itself," saying: "A light has gone out, but the hope he gave us will burn forever".
A statement from family is forthcoming. Mr Peres, an indefatigable campaigner for Middle East peace, jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for brokereing the historic Oslo interim peace accords with the Palestinian leadership. He continued to work on programmes promoting Israeli-Arab co-existence after he retired from politics. 
Peres had been involved in Israeli politics for more than half a century. He served seven terms as Israel's president until his 2014 retirement, and had served in the majority of Cabinet positions throughout his career – including three terms as prime minister.  Mr Peres was hospitalised following a stroke two weeks ago which led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on life support before he condition suddenly worsened on Wednesday. 
Serving as foreign minister under Yitzhak Rabin, Peres helped conclude the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo Peace Accords, for which he won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize alongside Rabin and then-Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.  A doctor at Tel Hashomer Hospital near Tel Aviv said Mr Peres passed away without suffering. 
After Rabin's 1995 assasination, Peres became Prime Minister of Israel. Bill Clinton, who was US president when Mr Peres, then foreign minister, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat famously shook hands on the White House lawn in 1993 during the Oslo agreement talks, said in a a joint statement with his wife Hillary:
He founded the Peres Centre for Peace, which promoted peace between Israelis and Palestinians. "I'll never forget how happy he was 23 years ago when he signed the Oslo Accords on the White House lawn, heralding a more hopeful era in Israeli-Palestinian relations."
Then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzahk Rabin, Arafat and Peres jointly shared the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts.
"He was a genius with a big heart who used his gifts to imagine a future of reconciliation not conflict, economic and social empowerment not anger and frustration, and a nation, a region, and a world enhanced by caring and sharing, not torn asunder by the illusions of permanent dominance and perfect truth," the Clintons' statement said.
"His critics called him a dreamer. That he was - a lucid, eloquent dreamer until the very end. Thank goodness. Let those of us who loved him and love his nation keep his dream alive."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing "deep personal grief at the passing of the beloved of the nation."
And the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, described him as a "true giant amongst men".
"There will be countless tributes to Shimon Peres over the coming days, but I fear that few, if any, will adequately capture the palpable sense of collective grief felt across the world, nor do justice to the memory of a true giant amongst men," Mr Mirvis said.
"It is true that Shimon Peres was a great statesman. He was the noblest of soldiers, a born leader, a uniquely talented diplomat, an inspiring speaker and a relentless campaigner. But, more significantly than any of those things, Shimon Peres was the greatest living example of an unshakable belief in the pursuit of peace against all odds."
The Clintons and many other world leaders and dignataries are expected to attend Mr Peres's funeral, which Israeli media said would be held on Friday. Mr Peres will lie in state in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, as per his wishes, before a state funeral at the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem. 
Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres and said he would convene his Cabinet for a special session later on Wednesday.
Peres had been involved in Israeli politics for more than half a century. He served seven terms as Israel's president until his 2014 retirement, and served in the majority of Cabinet positions throughout his career – including three terms as prime minister. 
He founded the Peres Centre for Peace, which promoted peace between Israelis and Palestinians, continuing to work at the centre right up until his death.