Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened on Sunday that the deputy head of the Hamas' political bureau and the head of its operations in the occupied West Bank Saleh al-Arouri will pay "a heavy price," after accusing him of standing behind several recent Palestinian shooting attacks. 

In the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said that "Whoever tries to harm us, who finances, who organizes or stands behind terrorism against Israel will pay a heavy price."

Referring to the disappearance of Hamas leaders in anticipation of Israel's targeted assassinations, Netanyahu said: "He and his comrades know very well why he was hiding."

"Hamas and Iran's agents in the region are well aware that we will fight by all means against their attempts to create terrorism against us, whether in the West Bank or Gaza Strip, or anywhere else," he added.