The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said a reopening date would be announced later and urged residents to stay away from these venues "for their safety."

The U.S backed-Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said on Friday that all its aid distribution sites in the enclave were closed and a reopening date would be announced later, urging residents to stay away from these sites "for their safety".

An Israel- and US-backed mechanism to distribute food in Gaza suspended operations for a day and a half following a series of deadly incidents near its sites that drew international criticism.

The new operation is intended to bypass both the United Nations and Hamas, but aid groups say even if it works as intended, it is dangerously inadequate.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip at a press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in Berlin on Thursday, again calling for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into the enclave.