Gaza City has come under intense air attack, the territory's Hamas-run civil defence agency has said, as Israeli forces prepare to launch an operation to take over the city, BBC reported.

Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman, said the residential areas of Zeitoun and Sabra had been hit for three days causing "massive destruction to civilian homes", with residents unable to recover the dead and injured.

Meanwhile the UK, EU, Australia, Canada and Japan issued a statement saying "famine is unfolding in front of our eyes" and urged action to "reverse starvation".

They demanded "immediate, permanent and concrete steps" to facilitate the entry of aid to Gaza. Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza, according to BBC.