For nearly two years, Israeli and American officials have largely ignored pleas to end policies that limit food aid and other humanitarian supplies for millions of Palestinians.

A U.N.-backed food security group has issued a dire warning: famine has officially now taken hold in northern Gaza and is expected to spread in the coming months.

A UN-backed report has confirmed that there is widespread famine in Gaza, the first time a famine has been declared in the Middle East. Israel immediately rejected the findings.