The United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza on Friday, blaming "systematic obstruction" of aid by Israel during more than 22 months of war, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly dismissing the findings.

Netanyahu, whose defence minister meanwhile threatened to expand the offensive, rejected the UN-backed report as "an outright lie".

Hamas urged the United Nations and UN Security Council to "stop the war and lift the siege", calling for unrestricted access for food, medicine, water and fuel.

The Rome-based Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) said famine was affecting 500,000 people in the Gaza governorate, which covers about a fifth of the Palestinian territory including Gaza City.

Israel has pressed ahead with plans to seize Gaza City des

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