Gaza factions vow ‘harsh’ response to any Israeli escalation

Palestinian resistance factions on Sunday vowed a "harsh" response to any Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip.

This came in a joint statement signed by a number of Palestinian groups, including Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, and the Islamic Jihad movement.

The statement called for mobilizing all efforts "to boost the resistance against the [Israeli] occupation."

"There will be no security or stability for the occupation until our people gain their freedom," the statement said. "Any criminal act by the occupation will be met with a more powerful and harsher resistance."

On Saturday, three members of Islamic Jihad group were shot dead by Israeli forces near the West Bank city of Jenin.

Earlier Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that Gaza will "suffer pain" in case of any escalation from the Palestinian territory.