Health officials in the Gaza Strip say eight more people, including a child, have died from starvation and malnutrition over the past 24 hours.

The officials said on Sunday that the total death toll from such causes has climbed to 289. They said about 40 percent of them are children.

The United Nations reported on Friday that famine had been confirmed in Gaza City and surrounding areas.

European countries and Saudi Arabia are condemning Israel over the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. They say the famine is a man-made disaster, calling for a ceasefire to be realized in the enclave as soon as possible.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office labeled the famine report "an outright lie." Another Israeli government unit also said on Sunday that the report relies on Hamas' health ministry, UNRWA assessments and "unverifiable sources." UNRWA is the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Palestinian and other media report that the Israeli military unleashed airstrikes and artillery shelling on the outskirts of Gaza City overnight from Saturday to Sunday. Homes and other buildings were destroyed. The city is believed to have a population of nearly a million, making it the largest in the enclave.

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