More than half a million people in Gaza City, and parts of the south and central areas of the territory, face "starvation, destitution and death," the body responsible for monitoring world hunger found.

The United Nations on Friday officially declared a famine in Gaza, the first time it has done so in the Middle East, with experts warning 500,000 people face "catastrophic" hunger.

A United Nations-backed body declared a famine in Gaza for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war broke out in 2023, prompting intensified international calls for an end to fighting and the accelerated delivery of aid.