Without pressure from the United States, Mr. Netanyahu is unlikely to shift his conduct in the nearly two-year war in Gaza, analysts say.

At least 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes and shootings in Gaza on Saturday, including Palestinians sheltering in tents or seeking scarce food aid, according to local hospitals.

The IPC report said that more than half a million people in Gaza face catastrophic levels of hunger, and many are at risk of dying from malnutrition-related causes.

Famine has been determined in Gaza Governorate, where Gaza City is located, according to a warning issued Friday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).The report from IPC -- a global initiative monitoring hunger with the backing of governments,

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the famine was entirely preventable, saying food could not get through to the Palestinian territory 'because of systematic obstruction by Israel'.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Friday that famine in Gaza was the direct result of Israeli government actions and warned that deaths from starvation could amount to a war crime.