DAMASCUS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Damascus-based central council of the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU) condemned on Sunday the "brutal" Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip as a "war crime and systematic state terrorism," the official SANA news agency reported.

    In a statement at the end of an emergency meeting in Damascus, the council called on the international community and the UN Security Council to press Israel to end its aggression on Gaza, lift the siege and open the crossing points.

    The council urged all the Palestinian factions to restore national unity and stick to their national legitimate rights while calling on Arab countries to take a united stance in supporting the Palestinians' rights and backing their resistance against the occupation.

    Also on Sunday, the Damascus-based General Union of Arab Students called on all Arab students and youth organizations to protest on Wednesday at universities, schools, capitals and cities in support of the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

    According to SANA, the union called for continuing demonstrations, sit-ins and public activities to denounce the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Arab silence, stressing the need to mobilize all possible resources to support the people of Gaza.

    Israel is carrying out both airstrikes and ground operation across the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops entered the strip following eight days of intensive air raids, targeting buildings including mosques, houses and Hamas security installations.

    The Israeli military action, aimed at retaliating for Hamas militants' rocket attacks into Israel, has so far killed more than500 Palestinians and wounded more than 2,400 others.