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

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.

The Israeli government cut off the enclave on 2 March as the ceasefire with Hamas began to disintegrate. It halted all supplies of humanitarian aid, including food, water and medicines, in a move it said was designed to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining Israeli hostages.