UN experts say famine spreading through Gaza, as children die of malnutrition

Famine has spread through the Gaza Strip, with several more children having died due to malnutrition, a group of independent human rights experts mandated by the UN have said.

At least 33 children have died of malnutrition since the war began, mostly in northern Gaza, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

The group of 11 rights experts cited the deaths of three children aged 13, nine and six months, from malnutrition in Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah since the end of May.

"With the death of these children from starvation despite medical treatment in central Gaza, there is no doubt that famine has spread from northern Gaza into central and southern Gaza," the experts said on Tuesday.

Michael Fakhri, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, was among the signatories to the statement.

The statement condemned "Israel's intentional and targeted starvation campaign against the Palestinian people".

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva said the statement was "misinformation".

"Israel has continuously scaled up its coordination and assistance in the delivery of humanitarian aid across the Gaza Strip, recently connecting its power line to the Gaza water desalination plant," the mission said.