"An entire population is being pushed into starvation, destitution, and death,” said Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The world’s leading authority on food crises said Friday the Gaza Strip’s largest city is gripped by famine, and that it is likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.

The IPC, a global body that monitors hunger crises, says 22 months of war in Gaza have left half a million people facing "starvation, destitution and death." Israel calls it "lies."

The UN-backed IPC says more than half a million Palestinians facing catastrophic famine conditions amid Israel’s war.

The report details that "as this famine is entirely man-made, it can be halted and reversed," with the committee calling for swift action.

It defines famine as when 20% of households have an extreme lack of food; 30% of children under 5 are acutely malnourished; and two in every 10,000 people die daily from starvation, malnutrition or disease.

The world's leading authority on food crises said Friday the Gaza Strip's largest city is gripped by famine, and that it's likely to spread across the territory without a ceasefire and an end to restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Australia and Israel, once staunch allies, have seen an erosion of their relations over the course of the war in the Gaza Strip. Australia’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state came after the government sensed a major shift in the domestic mood over the war in Gaza,