JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli magician set a new world record by spending 64 hours inside a block of ice, local daily Ha'aretz reported Friday on its website.

    The new world record, set by Hezi Dayan late Thursday night, surpassed the previous mark made by American magician David Blaine, who spent almost 62 ice-encased hours in New York's Times Square in November 2000, said the report.

    Dayan emerged to a new year after spending 64 hours inside an eight-ton block of ice which was set on a special podium in Rabin Square in central Tel Aviv.

    While sitting staying within the sizable frozen block, all that could be seen of Dayan through the ice was a pair of eyes staring at the curious spectators.

    Dayan was quoted as saying earlier this week that "My aim is that at two or three in the morning, people on their way home from a night out will say, 'Come, let's go to the square and see if that loony is in his ice.'"