Doctors treating Ariel Sharon have said they had detected a slight improvement in the Israeli Prime Minister's brain fuction.
They said there was no immediate danger to Mr Sharon's life as medics tried to rouse him gradually from a coma.
He was reported to have moved his left hand and the left side of his body.
The doctors are trying to assess the extent of damage to Mr Sharon's brain following the massive stroke he suffered last Wednesday.
The 77-year-old remains unconscious, in a critical condition and hooked up to a respirator as medics continue to reduce his sedation to rouse him from the medically induced coma.
Separately, an Israeli newspaper reported that a failure to diagnose a blood disease led to the prime minister's brain haemorrhage last week.
It is thought the latest movement may indicate Mr Sharon has retained more brain function than first thought.
This morning, hospital spokesman Ron Krumer told reporters the doctors were concentrating on saving Mr Sharon's life.
