Israel’s urgent security needs override its obligations to provide aid to Palestinians in Gaza, a US state department lawyer has told the international court of justice (ICJ).

Joshua Simmons spoke as the United Nations’ top court hears a case on Israel’s ban on cooperation with Unwra, the UN’s main agency for Palestinians.

He said that Israel had no duty under the Geneva convention to cooperate specifically with Unrwa, due to its concerns about the organisation’s links to Hamas – an allegation that has been fiercely contested.

Simmons addressed the ICJ in The Hague on the third day of the hearing and the 60th day of Israel’s complete ban on any aid, food or water entering Gaza. The ban applies to all agencies, but in October the Knesset voted to end all cooperation with Unrwa specifically, bringing its operations to a halt.