French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday condemned Israel's plan to expand its operations and take control of Gaza City as a "disaster" and a path to "permanent war".

"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. 

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.