RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian National Council said on Friday that the ongoing Israeli offensive in northern Gaza is "a war aimed at uprooting the people from their land."

In a statement, Rawhi Fattuh, president of the Palestinian National Council, which serves as the supreme legislative representative body for all Palestinians inside Palestine and in the diaspora, emphasized that "Israel is conducting an assault on the northern Gaza Strip, besieging and bombing residential areas with barrel bombs in an act of genocide."

Fattuh described Israeli operations as "a moral depravity and brutality that defies human comprehension."

He added: "These crimes are clear evidence of the oppression and dominance of the occupying entity, emboldened by Western support and US backing, taking advantage of the international silence that has turned its back on its own principles and humanitarian values."

He called on the international community to act independently and urgently to rescue over 400,000 citizens who are “facing slaughter and brutality,” and to stop a war targeting the “existence and national identity of the Palestinian people.”

Israeli army ground incursions and bombardments continue across northern Gaza, as the forces push for forced displacement of Palestinians.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 42,800 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 100,500 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi