France, Feb. 15 -- French President Emmanuel Macron warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that Israeli operations in Gaza "must cease" as the human toll and humanitarian situation are deemed "unacceptable".

In a telephone call Macron appears to have toughened his tone. The French leader expressed France's "firm opposition" to an Israeli offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying it "could only lead to a humanitarian disaster of a new magnitude" and aggravate the risk of regional escalation, according to a statement from the presidential Elysee palace.

Ceasefire agreement

The French leader stressed that a ceasefire agreement should be reached "without further delay", adding that such a deal should "guar...