The United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza on Friday, blaming "systematic obstruction of aid" by Israel, hours after Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened to destroy the territory's largest city.

Israel denied there was a famine, with the foreign ministry saying the report was "based on Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests".

The Rome-based IPC, a body of UN-backed experts, said in a new report that famine was affecting 500,000 people in the Gaza governorate, which covers about a fifth of the Palestinian territory including Gaza City.

Israel this week doubled down on plans to launch a new offensive to capture the city, despite an international outcry, saying it would help bring about the defeat of Hamas.

The IPC projected that the famine would

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