Former Israeli President Shimon Peres dies aged 93

Former Israeli president Shimon Peres has died. One of the last of a generation of Israeli politicians present at the new nation's birth in 1948, Shimon Peres died today, two weeks after suffering a major stroke. According to Peres' doctor Rafi Walden, the 93-year-old died in his sleep at around 3:00am

Israeli media also confirmed the former Israeli president's death. His son Chemi Peres paid tribute to his father during a press conference, saying:

"Our father's legacy has always been the future. Look to tomorrow, he taught us. Today, we sense that the entire nation of Israel and the global community mourns this great loss. We share this pain together."

Shimon Peres won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role in negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier. He served in 12 governments, including once as president and twice as prime minister.