Syria condemned on Wednesday the Israeli attack in a residential neighborhood in northern Gaza as " state terrorism" and "barbaric massacre and aggression", the official SANA news agency reported on Wednesday.

"Syria strongly condemns the Israeli state terrorism being practiced against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip," an official source was quoted as saying.

Syria's official condemnation came after the Israel tank shells struck houses in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, killing at least 19 Palestinians and wounding dozens of others on Wednesday morning.

According to witnesses, most of the victims are women and children who died in their sleep.

"Syria calls on the Palestinian people of all different political affiliations to unify their ranks in face of the Israeli crimes as national unity is a solid wall for foiling all Israeli conspiracies and schemes", the source stressed.

Meanwhile, the source also called on the international community and the UN Security Council bear complete responsibility to stop these massacres and hold Israeli accountable.

The Israeli army had earlier ended its "Autumn Clouds" operation into northern Gaza Strip that began on Wednesday last week, at least 64 Palestinians were killed and more than 250 wounded in the operations.

Source: Xinhua