UN aid chief says Gaza ceasefire is vital

TOKYO — The U.N.'s humanitarian chief says a ceasefire to stop the violence in Gaza is vital because of the deteriorating situation.

Valerie Amos said in an interview in Tokyo on Thursday that the top priority is protecting civilians caught up in the violence. She called it a "terrible, terrible situation."

Amos is in Tokyo for a U.N.-organized meeting on finding better ways to deliver humanitarian aid to conflict and disaster zones in Asia.

She said international funding is not keeping up with the growing needs from crises and disasters, and advocated a "step change" in several areas to make relief more effective. She said one lesson from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines is the need to involve local communities in the response and make the international community a last resort.