Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there is “no way” Israel will halt its war in Gaza, even if a deal is reached to release more hostages.

One in five people in the Gaza Strip are facing starvation as the entire territory edges closer to famine, a new United Nations-backed report warns, after nearly three months of Israel’s blockade of critically needed humanitarian aid.

Israel's continued blockade of food and humanitarian assistance has led to Palestinian children facing illness and death from severe acute malnutrition.

The United Nations’ top humanitarian official blasted Israel for “deliberately and unashamedly” imposing inhumane conditions on Palestinians that include the risk of famine.

We have rigorous mechanisms to ensure our aid gets to civilians and not to Hamas, but Israel denies us access, placing the objective of depopulating Gaza before the lives of civilians," said Fletcher.

The world’s leading body on food emergencies, the IPC, said Gaza was at “critical” risk of famine, two months into an aid blockade by Israel.