The Israeli army admitted tonight "dozens" were buried under the rubble of about 100 houses destroyed in the battles in Jenin refugee camp, but reiterated its denial of Palestinian charges of a massacre.
"Until now, we have transferred 25 bodies to the Palestinians. We believe that without doubt there are dozens of other dead buried under the ruins," said army spokeswoman Ms Sharon Feingold.
"There has not been a massacre, but it could be sadly that there aren't civilians among the dead."
Israel insists "dozens not hundreds" were killed in the heavy fighting in the Jenin refugee camp since Israel launched its assault on the West Bank three weeks ago.
Palestinian leaders say at least 500 were killed in the pitched fighting, with at least half of the dead being women and children.
"During the operation, we called for the population to evacuate the camp but some stayed voluntarily or were forced to remain," Ms Feingold added.
"It is possible that they were found dead in the buildings where terrorists hid during the fighting in which we lost 23 soldiers."
She added that the army puts the number of houses destroyed or damaged in the fighting at 100.
The army also arrested 10 potential Palestinian suicide bombers, along with their videotapes which contained their claims for the attacks they were going to commit, she said.
Out of 100 suicide bombings against Israel since the mid-1990s, 23 of the kamikazes came from Jenin, Ms Feingold said in defending Israel's characterization of the camp as a haven for Palestinian militants.
AFP