At least 20 Palestinians died in a stampede at a Gaza aid site amid Israel’s blockade and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

While the international community criticizes the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a middle east expert says the U.S.- and Israel-backed organization is taking the power away from Hamas.

Palestinians desperately reached out for food at a crowded community kitchen on Monday in Gaza City, in northern Gaza Strip. Israel’s war against the militant Hamas group in Gaza has driven the majority of the civilian population in the territory from their homes while aid groups say they have struggled to bring in assistance and experts warn of famine.

Cash is the lifeblood of the Gaza Strip’s shattered economy, and like all other necessities in this war-torn territory -- food, fuel, medicine -- it is in extremely short supply.

Israeli strikes pounded the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, killing at least 34 Palestinians, according to local hospitals