US-backed Gaza aid model ‘waste of resources and distraction from atrocities’: UNRWA head

The new US-backed aid distribution model in Gaza is a waste of resources and a distraction from “atrocities”, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees Philippe Lazzarini said on Wednesday. “I believe it is a waste of resources and a distraction from atrocities. We already have an aid distribution system that is fit for purpose,” Mr Lazzarini said in Japan. “The humanitarian community in Gaza, including UNRWA, is ready. We have the experience and expertise to reach people in need,” he said.