Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today briefly opened his eyes in response to a recording of his grandson’s voice, family members told doctors, though hospital officials warned there were no signs that the comatose Israeli leader was any closer to regaining consciousness.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s doctors came under criticism today for failing to divulge a brain disease discovered after an initial, mild stroke suffered by the prime minister and for prescribing drugs that may have been inappropriate for a patient suffering from it, possibly causing his second, massive stroke.

With Prime Minister Ariel Sharon recovering from emergency brain surgery today, his doctors said it was still too early to assess how much damage the Israeli leader has suffered from a massive stroke. Independent experts said the prognosis remained grim.