“This war must end now with a permanent ceasefire,” Macron said in a statement, adding Israel’s plan to take control of Gaza City was “a disaster of unprecedented gravity and a headlong rush into permanent war”.

“Israeli hostages and the people of Gaza will continue to be the primary victims of this strategy,” Macron said.

Israel has said its military would “take control” of Gaza City in a plan approved by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism.

In the statement, Macron said it was important to establish a UN-mandated stabilisation mission to secure the Gaza Strip.

“The Security Council must now work to establish this mission and give it a mandate,” he said.

“I have asked my teams to work on this without delay with our partners,” Macron added.

Netanyahu defended the plan yesterday, saying “Israel has no choice but to finish the job and complete the defeat of Hamas”.

“We have about 70% to 75% of Gaza under Israeli control, military control,” he said.

“But we have two remaining strongholds, okay? These are Gaza City and the central camps in Al Mawasi.”