France has protested an Israeli airstrike on Gaza that killed one Palestinian policeman and hurt the French consul, his daughter and pregnant wife, who suffered a miscarriage as a result.

Sunday's airstrike on Beit-Lahya and northern Gaza, where Palestinian militants allegedly fired rockets into southern Israel, hit sites just 200 metres from the residence of French consul Majdi Shakura.

The force of the blasts broke windows of the house causing broken glass to hit Shakura, his 13-year-old daughter and wife, who was two months pregnant, according to Bernard Valero, the spokesman of the French foreign ministry in Paris.

The wife suffered bleeding and lost the baby, Valero said Tuesday.

France's ambassador in Tel Aviv had complained to Israeli authorities and Israel's envoy in Paris, Yossi Gal, was summoned to the ministry on Wednesday.

"This morning, at the foreign ministry, we reminded the Israeli ambassador of the extent to which we strongly regret the results of this raid for the head of our Gaza consular section and his family," said Bernard Valero, according to France24. "He was reminded that, while we recognise the need of Israel to protect its security, it is important to prevent any harm coming to civilians or the French presence in Gaza."

Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has apologised to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for calling the latter a liar in a conversation with U.S. President Barak Obama at last month's G20 summit in Cannes. Journalists overheard Sarkozy telling Obama, "I cannot stand him. He is a liar."

Sarkozy, who was referring to Netanyahu, and Obama were unaware that their microphones were on and the remarks hit the news.

Sarkozy's apology was contained in a letter of condolence sent to Netanyahu Monday for the death of the latter's father-in-law, Shmuel Ben-Artzi.

"Dear Binyamin, let me also tell you on this occasion: You have my friendship, and our differing views on the problems of the Middle East, and the interpretations appearing in the media, have no effect on it," Sarkozy wrote Netanyahu, according to Israel National News.