KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes and gunfire killed at least 25 Palestinians including people sheltering in tents or seeking scarce food Saturday in Gaza , local hospitals said, as a famine in Gaza’s largest city sparks new pressure on Israel over its 22-month offensive.

Israel's defense minister has warned that Gaza City could be destroyed in a new military operation perhaps just days away, even as famine spreads there.

Aid groups have long warned that the war, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack , and months of Israeli restrictions on food and medical supplies entering Gaza are causing starvation.

Israel has rejected the data-based famine declaration as “an outright lie." Ceasefire efforts are on hold as mediators await Israel’s next steps.

Women and children

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