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.

Top UN officials put the blame squarely on Israel, accusing it of "systematic obstruction" of aid deliveries to the war-ravaged Palestinian territory -- sparking a sharp response.

Israel's foreign ministry said the declaration that famine is now present in and around Gaza City was "based on Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests".

"There is no famine in Gaza," it insisted.

The assessment of famine was made by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC), a coalition of monitors tasked by the UN to warn of impending crises.

It defines famine as occurring when 2

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