ROME — The United Nations on Friday officially declared a famine in Gaza, the first in the Middle East, with its experts saying 500,000 people were facing "catastrophic" hunger.

 

After months of warning of the deteriorating humanitarian situation, the Rome-based IPC panel said famine was now confirmed in the GazaGovernorate -- Gaza City -- which covers about 20 percent of the Gaza Strip.

 

Israel rejected the findings of the UN-backed food security report on Friday, insisting that there was no famine in Gaza and that the findings were based on "Hamas lies".

 

The foreign ministry statement came after the Rome-based IPC panel said famine was now confirmed in the Gaza Governorate -- Gaza City -- which covers about 20 percent of the GazaStrip.

 

"There is no famine in Gaza," the ministry said, adding that the panel's findings were "based on Hamas lies laundered through organisations with vested interests".

 

"In recent weeks, a massive influx of aid has flooded the Strip with staple foods and caused a sharp decline in food price," the ministry said.

 

"This assessment too will be thrown into the despicable trash bin of political documents," it added.

 

The Israeli defence ministry body which oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, known as COGAT, also lambasted the report.

 

"COGAT firmly rejects the claim of famine in the Gaza Strip, and particularly in Gaza City. Previous reports and assessments by the IPC have repeatedly been proven inaccurate and do not reflect the reality on the ground," it said.

 

COGAT said the panel's report had overlooked efforts made in recent weeks to "stabilise the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip" and accused its authors of relying on "partial data" and ignoring information provided to them.