He repeated his opposition to any Israeli military operation in Rafah, where most of Gaza's population has taken shelter after months of fierce fighting in the besieged territory.

In a telephone call between the two leaders on Sunday, Macron also "strongly condemned" Israel's announcement Friday of the seizure of 800 hectares of land in the occupied West Bank for new settlements.

Activists say Israel's declaration that the land in the northern Jordan Valley was now "state land" was the single largest such seizure in decades.

In the call, Macron told Netanyahu he intended to bring a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire".

He also urged Israel to immediately open all crossing points into Gaza.

The planned Rafah ground offensive has faced intense international pressure, with warnings it would cause mass civilian casualties and worsen the humanitarian crisis.

However Israel has insisted it is necessary in its campaign to destroy Hamas.

Since Oct.7, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas, who seized about 250 captives, of whom Israel believes around 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 presumed dead.

Almost six months of Israeli war on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 32,070 people in Gaza, 70% of them women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Israel has faced ever greater global opposition to its military campaign as Palestinian civilian deaths have soared and its siege has brought widespread malnutrition and hunger.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.