The head of a United Nations inquiry says he'll go ahead with an investigation into allegations of war crimes during the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza, even though Israel has objected to the probe.

Richard Goldstone, a Jewish South African judge and former war crimes prosecutor, said Israel has not formally responded to a request for his four-person team to enter the country to carry out the probe.

"I'm disappointed, and the members of the mission are disappointed, that we've had no positive response from the Israeli government," Goldstone told reporters Wednesday after a meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva.

"It would have been our wish to start there, to visit southern Israel, Sderot, to go into Gaza through the front door, to go to the West Bank, which is also included in our mission."

Goldstone said the UN investigators may enter Gaza through Egypt if necessary.

He said he's approached the Israeli ambassador in Geneva, Aharon Leshno Yaar, and even appealed directly to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The UN Human Rights Council has tasked Goldstone's inquiry with investigating allegations of "violations of international humanitarian law" before, during and after the Dec. 27-Jan. 18 conflict, including allegations against Israelis in Gaza and allegations against Palestinians in southern Israel.

Goldstone said he'd hold public hearings in Geneva if they couldn't take place in the region.

"One decision we have taken is we will have a number of days of public hearings. If we can in the region, so much the better, and if necessary we will have them in Geneva," he said.

No change in position: Israel

Israel objected to the mission because the original mandate was to investigate alleged Israeli actions against Palestinians. Goldstone only accepted the assignment if he could see what happened on both sides.

"There is no change in our position," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said Wednesday in Jerusalem. "We think that the mandate is intrinsically flawed and defective and therefore this commission will never be able to do a proper job, whatever good intentions its head may have."

When asked if the UN team members would be allowed to enter Israeli territory, he said that remained to be seen.

"Wait," he said. "We're not there yet."

Goldstone, who served on South Africa's Supreme Court, was also the first chief prosecutor for the war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

The UN investigative team, which has a deadline of Aug. 4, includes law professor Christine Chinkin, Pakistani lawyer Hina Jilani and retired Irish army colonel Desmond Travers.

According to Palestinian sources, more than 1,200 people were killed during Israel's 22-day offensive against Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization that rules the Gaza Strip. The army said the offensive was aimed at ending rocket attacks on Israel. At least 13 Israelis were killed in the conflict.

With files from The Associated Press