RAMALLAH, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Friday called for decisive international action to compel Israel to address and halt the spread of famine, after a United Nations-backed initiative confirmed that parts of Gaza are experiencing a "man-made" famine.

In a statement, the ministry urged action to compel Israel "to immediately halt the crimes of genocide, displacement, and annexation, as the only way to stop, contain, and address famine, prevent its spread, ensure the opening of crossings, allow sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid, and begin the immediate reconstruction of Gaza."

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported on Friday that famine has been confirmed in the Gaza Governorate, which includes Gaza City, and more than half a million people in Gaza are facing famine conditions marked by starvation, destitution and death. Israel dismissed the report as false and biased, denying that a famine is occurring in Gaza.

In a statement, Hamas said it considered the declaration "a confirmation of the magnitude of the humanitarian disaster our people are exposed to due to the ongoing Israeli aggression, which uses starvation as a tool of war and extermination against civilians, in blatant violation of international humanitarian law and all international norms and charters."

The movement called for immediate international action to stop the war, lift the blockade, open the crossings without restrictions for the entry of food, medicine, and water, and hold Israel legally accountable for using starvation as a weapon of war.

The IPC report warned that famine is expected to expand southward to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis between mid-August and the end of September. Over 640,000 people, or nearly a third of the population, are projected to face catastrophic conditions, with another 1.14 million people facing emergency levels of food insecurity.

The Gaza Strip is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, which has worsened since March 2, after the Israeli authorities closed all crossings into the Strip.

According to Gaza's health authorities on Friday, 273 people have died from starvation and malnutrition in the enclave since the beginning of the war, including 112 children. ■