Yasser Arafat who led the Palestinian national struggle for the past four decades was announced dead at the age of 75 Thursday after failing a battle for life at a French hospital.

"Mr. Yasser Arafat, president of the Palestinian National Authority, has died at the Percy Military Training Hospital in Clamart on Nov. 11, 2004, at 3:30 a.m. (0230 GMT)," hospital spokesman Christian Estripeau told reporters in a brief statement.

The news was then confirmed by both chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Arafat's senior aide Tayeb Abdel Rahim.

Arafat was flown from his battered headquarters in the West Bank to the French hospital on Oct. 29 after his health sharply deteriorated.

His condition turned worse on Tuesday due to a brain hemorrhage and a deepened coma.

Adored as the mountain that could never be moved by the wind, Arafat survived a plane crash in the Libyan desert in 1992, numerous assassination attempts by Israeli intelligence agencies and a serious stroke.

He devoted all of his lifetime to the cause for establishing a Palestinian statehood with Jerusalem as its capital, but failed to wait to see this dream become true.

Always dressed in khaki uniform and with his trademark black and white kaffiyeh wrapped around his head, he was deeply loved by the Palestinians for his extraordinary political courage, persistence and charisma.

On hearing the Arafat's death, thousands of Palestinians started to march toward the Muqata compound.

Many people told Xinhua that their sorrow and grief were beyond expression.

A 40-day mourning was declared Thursday in the Palestinian territories for the great loss.

Flags were seen flying at half mask in the West Bank and Gaza.

Government institutions, shops and schools were closed, while dozens of militants opened gunfire in the air.

"Yasser Arafat, the leader of our revolution, planted the seeds of love among our people. This great love is giving us the strength to bid farewell to him as he is leaving," Abdel Rahim said.

"You and your great history will be the light that would lighten the road for your people to continue your road that you had chosen," he said.

Palestinian militant groups, such as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), also paid tribute to the late leader.

According to initial consensus of the Palestinian leadership, Arafat's body will be flown to Cairo for a funeral on Friday and then to Ramallah for burial, his aides said.

Earlier, an Egyptian security official said the funeral will be held at Cairo Airport when the body is flown from Paris, adding that prayers and military ceremonies will take place before the body was taken back to Ramallah via Jordan.

The decision will facilitate Arab leaders to pay their last respects to Arafat without setting foot on the Israeli-controlled land and make safekeeping for world dignitaries easier.

Source: Xinhua