Amos Oz, one of Israel's most prominent and prolific authors, at his house in Tel Aviv in 2015
Jerusalem CNN  — 

Revered Israeli author Amos Oz has died of cancer, his daughter said Friday. He was 79.

“My beloved father, Amos Oz, a wonderful family man, an author, a man of peace and moderation, died today peacefully after a short battle with cancer,” Fania Oz-Salzberger wrote on her Twitter account Friday.

“He was surrounded by his lovers and knew it to the end. May his good legacy continue to amend the world.”

One of Israel’s most prominent and prolific authors of both fiction and nonfiction, he was best known for his novel “Black Box,” for his collection of essays “In the Land of Israel” and his autobiographical novel “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” He was a longtime candidate for the Nobel Prize for literature.

“A story of love and light and now darkness. A great sorrow comes down on us … ,” Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said, according to his spokesman.

“He was a literary marvel, a wonderful creator, and an enormous spirit. Rest in peace dear Amos you meant the world to us.”