Gaza population faces critical risk of famine, says UN report

Half a million people in the Gaza Strip face starvation, a global hunger monitor said on Monday, saying the Israeli-blockaded enclave still confronts a critical risk of famine with a high risk of one occurring by the end of September.

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Gaza's entire population of around 2.4 million people is at risk of a food crisis "or worse" by September, the UNand NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said in a report.

The IPC's latest report cited a significant deterioration in the situation since its last one in October, reflecting warnings from international agencies of an unfolding catastrophe in the small, densely populated Palestinian territory.

Israel has sealed off the Gaza Strip since early March when it resumed its devastating military campaign against Hamas following the collapse of a ceasefire deal, during which thousands of aid trucks entered the enclave.

Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said on Monday the IPC had "constantly talked about famine; famine has never happened because of Israel's efforts to get more aid in."

Mencer reiterated Israel's accusation that Hamas had caused hunger by stealing aid meant for civilians, and had "engineered the humanitarian crisis."

Hamas denies these accusations and has in turn accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.