Looking to end an unwanted winless run of five games in all competitions, Lyon started on the front foot and struck the opener after only four minutes.
Corentin Tolisso was a menace throughout the first half with late runs into the box, and his close-range effort was deflected through to Abner, who was free at the back post to tap the ball into the empty net.
Maccabi Tel Aviv were struggling to create chances but were also finding it even harder to track the runs of Tolisso, and he fired another warning shot as he stabbed just wide of the near post.
The Israeli side weren’t so lucky with his next chance, as he took advantage of statue-esque defending in the six-yard box to head home after a delicate cross from Abner was stood up at the far post.
Les Gones’ total domination continued just after the half-hour mark when Pavel Sulc was clumsily bundled over in the box, and Moussa Niakhate made no mistake from the spot as he coolly found the bottom corner to make it 3-0.
Any hopes of a second-half comeback were quickly killed off after the restart as Tolisso completed his hat trick.
He took advantage of further defensive lapses to peel off his man at the far post to head Sulc’s cross past Roi Mishpati five minutes after the restart, before tapping home from Sulc’s cutback minutes later to make it five.
Substitutions couldn’t slow Lyon’s attacking momentum, though, as minutes after coming on, Adam Karabec made it six with a precise finish from a narrow angle.
Having failed to land a single shot on target, Maccabi’s misery was complete in the final moments when Sagiv Yehezkel was shown a second yellow card.
The result may seal the fate of both teams at this stage in the competition.
With 12 points from five games, Lyon are all but assured of a place in the knock-out rounds, whilst Maccabi Tel Aviv have one point and the worst goal difference of all 36 teams, meaning they may have to win all three remaining games to have any hope of progressing.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Corentin Tolisso (Lyon)