What is famine and why did the UN declare it imminent in Gaza?

A coalition of aid groups has warned that famine is imminent in Gaza, in what Unrwa - the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees - has described as "man-made starvation".

The UN and other aid agencies have warned that Gaza is on the brink of famine due to Israel's prevention of the entry of life-saving aid through the enclave's land crossings.

"This man-made starvation under our watch is a stain on our collective humanity. Too much time was wasted, all land crossings must open now. Famine can be averted with political will," said Phillipe Lazzarini, the head of Unrwa.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, also said on Monday that Israel was provoking starvation and using starvation as a weapon of war, adding that the humanitarian crisis is "man-made".

Read more: What is famine and why did the UN declare it imminent in Gaza?