Israeli airstrikes and ground fire killed at least 33 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to local hospitals. Casualties included people sheltering in tents and others waiting for food near aid corridors, underscoring the growing desperation in the enclave after nearly two years of war. The violence came a day after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification formally declared that Gaza City is gripped by famine and warned that catastrophic hunger could soon engulf much of the territory. The IPC estimates that almost 500,000 people—about one-quarter of Gaza’s population—face life-threatening shortages. Gaza’s Health Ministry separately reported eight malnutrition deaths in the previous 24 hours, bringing the conflict-related total to 281. Israel’s Defense Minister has signaled that a full-scale ground assault on Gaza City could begin within days, despite international concern that intensified fighting would deepen the food crisis. Jerusalem dismisses the famine finding as “an outright lie,” insisting sufficient aid is entering the strip, while U.N. agencies and aid groups say deliveries remain far below what is needed. The latest strikes raise the war’s Palestinian death toll to 62,622, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Efforts to broker a cease-fire and hostage release remain stalled, leaving civilians increasingly caught between hunger and renewed military escalation.