"Prime Minster Netanyahu spoke with the [Israeli] foreign minister and [the] head of the Mossad [and] instructed them to render every possible assistance to the French authorities," Netanyahu spokesman Ofir Gendelman said on Twitter.

Earlier Friday, Netanyahu had met with French Ambassador to Israel Patrick Maisonnave.

The position of the French authorities regarding Netanyahu's decision – and whether they had requested such assistance – remains unclear.

It also remains unclear whether said assistance is related to the dramatic events that have gripped Paris in recent days.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, for his part, offered his country's support for French efforts to combat "terrorism."

A Friday statement issued by Israel's Defense Ministry said that Ya'alon had formally offered counter-terrorism assistance to his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

On Wednesday, three masked gunmen attacked the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing eight of its staff – including its chief editor – and four other people.

Footage showing the gunmen shooting a policeman outside the magazine's offices sent shockwaves across the world.

On Thursday, Netanyahu sent a cable to French President Francois Hollande expressing his "warmest condolences" for the victims of the attack.