“Only sick, twisted people maim and abuse corpses” — what will Trump say now?

The maimed bodies of dead Palestinians who were recently handed over by the Israeli authorities reminded me of an infamous and biased post by US President Donald Trump, when he condemned Hamas saying, “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!” I wonder what President Trump would now say if he had the chance to see some of the horrific photos of the Palestinian corpses returned from Israeli custody – bodies showing shocking signs of torture, abuse, and even field executions. Many of them had their hands and eyes bound, their faces disfigured, their limbs crushed. What would he say? How would he react if he saw what Israel has done?

Under the ceasefire agreement of 10 October that halted the Israeli genocide in Gaza, there was an exchange of bodies from both sides. As part of the deal, the Palestinian Hamas movement handed over the bodies of ten Israeli captives – many of whom, according to reports, were killed by Israel’s own indiscriminate bombing of Gaza. Hamas stated that an additional 19 bodies of Israelis remain trapped under the rubble and require heavy and specialized equipment unavailable in Gaza due to the blockade and destruction.

On the other side, the Israeli authorities have so far handed over 120 Palestinian corpses to the Palestinian side in three separate batches. Yet Israel still refuses to disclose the total number of Palestinian bodies it holds in its possession, a number believed to be much higher than hundreds.

The contrast between the two sides in handling the bodies could not be more telling. Hamas handed over the Israeli corpses in a dignified manner, providing information about the victims’ identities. Israel, however, returned Palestinian bodies without any identifying details. As of 16 October, Palestinian health authorities confirmed that only four of the 120 returned bodies had been identified, an appalling indication of how little regard Israel has for Palestinian life or dignity, even in death.

Worse still, the condition of the bodies sent shockwaves among Palestinians, as well as activists across social media platforms. The corpses bore horrifying and unimaginable signs of torture and abuse – signs that no sane or moral human could ever justify. Photos revealed that some of the victims were clearly tortured before death, some executed at close range, and others crushed under tanks or military vehicles. The scenes are beyond comprehension.

What makes this atrocity particularly alarming is that it does not appear to be the act of a few rogue soldiers. It has the marks of a systematic and organized practice, a deliberate policy of humiliation and dehumanisation that extends beyond the battlefield. This pattern aligns with the broader genocide that Israel has waged against the Palestinian people for over two years in Gaza.

How can the world accept such brutality? How can international rights groups remain silent in the face of such grotesque crimes against the dead, not just the living? Isn’t it the ultimate stain on the conscience of the international community or a moral failure of institutions that claim to defend human rights and justice? The silence of the so-called defenders of human values is deafening. When the sanctity of the dead is violated, what remains of humanity?

I could not help but recall Trump’s earlier remarks, which exposed not only his bias but also the hypocrisy of much of the Western political establishment. He used such words – “sick and twisted” – to vilify Palestinians and justify further pressure and aggression against them, portraying them as the abusers when, in truth, they have long been the victims of systematic brutality and dehumanization.

If Trump truly believes his own words, then surely he should condemn Israel’s grotesque actions with the same energy and moral outrage he directed at Hamas. But will he? Will the US administration, which is so quick to speak when Israelis are allegedly victims, find the courage to speak when Palestinians suffer? Or will Washington, and European governments, once again turn a blind eye, allowing impunity to prevail simply because the victims are Palestinians?

The return of these mutilated bodies is not only a tragedy; it is a moment of truth. It exposes the depth of Israel’s moral decadence and the hypocrisy of those who defend it. It forces the world to confront a question it has long avoided: when will the lives – and now even the bodies – of Palestinians be treated with the same respect afforded to others?

The images of those tortured, maimed, and desecrated bodies will remain a haunting testimony to the cruelty of occupation and the silence of the world. The words of Trump echo back, “Only sick, twisted people maim and abuse corpses.” Indeed, Mr Trump.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.