Shimon Peres, a former Israeli president and prime minister died early Wednesday. He was 93.
His son confirmed his death Wednesday morning to reporters gathered at the hospital where Shimon Peres had been treated for the past two weeks.
Peres' condition worsened following a major stroke two weeks ago that led to bleeding in his brain. He was sedated and on a respirator during most of his hospitalization.
"Today with deep sorrow we bid farewell to our beloved father, the ninth president of Israel," his son Chemi Peres said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement mourning the passing of Peres. He said he will convene his Cabinet for a special session later in the day. After that, a special committee is due to to prepare arrangements for a funeral that many international dignitaries and world leaders are expected to attend.
US President Barack Obama eulogized him as a man who represented "the essence of Israel itself, the courage of Israel’s fight for independence, the optimism he shared with his wife Sonya as they helped make the desert bloom, and the perseverance that led him to serve his nation in virtually every position in government across the entire life of the State of Israel."
"As Americans, we are in his debt because, having worked with every US president since John F. Kennedy, no one did more over so many years as Shimon Peres to build the alliance between our two countries," he said.
He added that Peres "never gave up on the possibility of peace between Israelis, Palestinians and Israel’s neighbors".
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement: "I met Mr. Peres on many occasions, and always benefited from his views. Even in the most difficult hours, he remained an optimist about the prospects for reconciliation and peace".
According to the Secretary General, Peres "played a central role in Israel’s founding". He said Peres "worked tirelessly for a two-state solution that would enable Israel to live securely and harmoniously with the Palestinians and the wider region".
Ban Ki-moon reminded that Peres shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat.
"He was also a good partner of the United Nations, eager to see Israel contribute to the work of the international community," he said.
Officials said that Peres' body would lie in state at the Knesset, or parliament, on Thursday to allow the public to pay final respects. His funeral was set for Friday, September 30, at Mount Herzl, the country's national cemetery in Jerusalem. Yona Bartal, a former personal aide to Peres, said the arrangements were in line with his wishes.
In addition to Obama, Pope Francis and Prince Charles, other leaders expected to arrive include German President Joachim Gauck, French President Francois Hollande, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, and Togo President Faure Gnassingbé.
