Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday threatened Hamas, saying that Israel was close to delivering Hamas a “very painful response” in response to the ongoing protests on the Gaza border following last weekend clashes between citizens and Israeli soldiers.

“Hamas, apparently, has not internalized the message,” Netanyahu said in remarks at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. “If they do not stop the violent attacks against us, they will be stopped in a different way and it will be painful – very painful.”

“We are very close to a different kind of,  an activity that will include very powerful blows. If it has sense, Hamas will stop firing and stop these violent disturbances – now.”

On Friday, seven Palestinians were reported killed and dozens more injured in the Gaza Strip in clashes with Israel Occupation Forces (IOF), raising the number of martyrs to 200, and the wounded to 15,000 since the beginning of the weekly protests on 30 March.