Professor Zeev Rotstein, Director of the Sheba Medical Centre near Tel Aviv where former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is being treated spoke to reporters on Sunday morning.

He said the the condition of the 85-year-old is still critical and his life is in immediate danger:

“He’s fighting like a lion for his life. And we appreciated and we wonder to look and to see what a good fight he is giving. I’m afraid it is not going to change the prognosis, personally this is what I think,” said Rotstein.

But he added: “Our general assessment is there is no way to overcome this crisis … I am perhaps more pessimistic than I was before.”

The former premier has been on life support since suffering a stroke eight years ago. His condition took a turn for the worse last week.

One of Israel’s most famous generals, Sharon left his mark on the region through military invasion, Jewish settlement building on captured land and a shock, unilateral decision to pull Israeli troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005.

A state funeral is planned.