GAZA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Hamas movement blamed on Sunday both the U.S. and the Israeli administrations for Gaza's escalating humanitarian crisis.

Hamas also rejected in a statement the U.S. claim of responsibility of Hamas, saying the U.S. allegations are a green light for Israel to "continue its aggression against our people."

It accused Israel of continuing the policy of U.S. administration that bears responsibility for "the tragedies that have afflicted the Palestinian people since occupying the Palestinian lands."

Last week, the United States accused Hamas of funneling 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 the occupied lands.