A video has been released that shows a French hostage being beheaded by a group linked to Islamic State, it is being reported.

Herve Gourdel (55), a hiker from the southern French city of Nice, was kidnapped on Sunday by Jund al Khilifa.

The group had given France a 24-hour deadline stop its airstrikes against IS in Iraq.

In the clip issued by the Algerian militants, the tourist was seen kneeling with his arms bound behind his back, as four masked men read a message in Arabic which condemned France.

Mr Gourdel was then pushed on to his side and held down.

Shortly after the group - known as the Caliphate Soldiers in English - released the video, France's foreign minister Laurent Fabius insisted the abduction would not deter his nation's participation in a US-led offensive against IS.

The video was entitled "A Message With Blood To The French Government", and began to circulate on jihadist websites on Wednesday.

It began with an excerpt of Francois Hollande, France's president, making a speech, before showing Mr Gourdel in his final moments of life.

Intelligence sources believe there could be 10 Western hostages still being held by Islamic State.

One Briton, David Haines, as well as Americans James Foley and Steven Sotloff, have lost their lives at the hands of the group in recent weeks.

Islamic State has recently threatened to kill Alan Henning, a British aid convoy volunteer.

Speaking at the United Nations earlier, the US President Barack Obama has vowed to lead a coalition to dismantle what he calls a "network of death."