Israeli forces killed four aid seekers traveling on Sunday through a military zone south of Gaza City — an area regularly used by Palestinians trying to reach a food distribution point, a hospital and witnesses said.

The deaths add to the growing toll of Palestinians killed while seeking food, as parts of the Gaza Strip plunge into famine and Israel's military ramps up activity in northern Gaza ahead of a planned offensive to seize its largest city.

A U.N.-backed initiative on Friday declared a famine in Gaza City and warned that it is likely to spread without a ceasefire or an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid. Israel has disputed the assessment, saying "there is no famine in Gaza."

Al-Awda Hospital and two eyewitnesses told The Associated Press that the four Palestinians

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