Hamas blames Israel, US for escalating Gaza crisis

Hamas blamed on Sunday both the US and the Israeli administrations for Gaza's escalating humanitarian crisis.

It also rejected the US claim of the Islamic group's responsibility, saying the US allegations are a green light for Israel to "continue its aggression against our people".

It accused Israel of continuing the policy of US administration that bears responsibility for "the tragedies that have afflicted the Palestinian people since occupying the Palestinian lands", Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, the US accused Hamas of funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars in aid meant for the people of Gaza toward buying weapons and materials to build attack tunnels and fortifications.

The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli siege since June 2007. The blockade has caused a decline in living standards as well as unprecedented unemployment and poverty.

Israel claims that Hamas uses Gaza underground tunnels to stockpile weapons and infiltrate into its territory.

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