A U.S.- and Israeli-backed group handing out aid in Gaza said on Friday all its distribution sites were closed until further notice, urging residents to stay away from these venues "for their safety" after a series of deadly shootings.

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.

Israeli officials say around 1,200 people were killed in the surprise Palestinian assault and 251 taken hostages, 58 of are believed to still be in Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has estimated that more than 54,600 people have been killed amid the Israeli operations that ensued.

The group was ready to engage in a new round of ceasefire talks, and communication with mediating countries was ongoing, he added. The latest U.S. proposal was came via President Donald Trump's special envoy,

Mansour urged Israel to lift what he described as a "punitive, illegal siege” and to open all crossings to allow the unimpeded delivery of aid.