JERUSALEM, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- If Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement continues its rocket attacks against Israel, Israeli army would operate in Gaza again as a response, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi said on Friday.

    "If necessary, we will operate again in the Gaza Strip to stop the rocket fire," local daily Haaretz quoted Ashkenazi as saying when he visited a high school in the southern city of Be'er Sheva.

    "We are prepared to contend with the whole arc of threats," he added, referring to both local defense and Iran issues.

    Israel launched a major military offensive against the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip last winter. In a UN investigation report into the 22-day conflict, both Israeli army and the Palestinian group are accused of committing war crimes.

    The IDF chief said on Friday that the army is investigating the alleged "mistakes and malfunctions" during the Gaza war and the UN report "deserves a response."

    However, "there is the possibility that we will be forced to act again," Haaretz quoted Ashkenazi as saying.

Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts