, Aug. 31 -- Israel will soon halt or scale back humanitarian aid deliveries to northern Gaza as its military offensive against Hamas expands, an official said Saturday, a day after Gaza City was declared a combat zone.

The move is expected to draw further international condemnation as Palestinians face worsening humanitarian conditions and families of remaining hostages express growing alarm after nearly 23 months of war.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official told The Associated Press that Israel will stop airdrops over Gaza City in the coming days and reduce the number of aid trucks as preparations are underway to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people south.

On Friday, Israel ended daytime pauses in fighting that had al...