UN declares famine in Gaza at catastrophic level, Israel denies

The Gaza Strip has been declared a state of famine for the first time, according to a joint statement by the United Nations and its agencies.
“More than half a million people in the Gaza Strip are suffering from famine, characterized by widespread malnutrition, poverty and preventable deaths,” the report, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said.

It is reported that by the end of September, more than 640,000 people in Gaza will face catastrophic levels of food insecurity, classified by the UN as the highest, level 5.

Israel denied the claim, saying the international body's report was "based on Hamas' lies."