Palestinians in Gaza may face starvation within weeks if aid is not allowed in soon, Israeli defence officials have admitted. Three military officers monitoring the situation in Gaza said many areas may soon run out of enough food to meet basic daily needs.

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.

General said to warn enclave is weeks away from running out of supplies, as officers note that restarting distribution will take time and requires immediate steps