In a shocking incident on Sunday, an active member of the US Air Force set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, reportedly in protest against the conflict in Gaza.
Emergency responders swiftly reacted to a distress call just before 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) regarding a person engulfed in flames outside the Israeli Embassy, as conveyed in a message on X, formerly Twitter, by the capital’s fire department.
Upon arrival, responders found that Secret Service officers had already extinguished the fire. The man was rushed to the hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries, according to the fire department.
While an Air Force spokesperson confirmed the man’s active service, no further details were provided.
The Israeli embassy spokesperson assured that no staff members were harmed, noting that the individual was unknown to them.
According to US media reports, the man purportedly livestreamed the incident on Twitch, clad in fatigues, expressing his refusal to be complicit in what he termed as genocide. He then ignited himself while chanting “Free Palestine!” until collapsing.
Although the footage has not been independently verified, it was reportedly removed from Twitch, as stated by the New York Times.
This dramatic act unfolded amidst escalating protests across the United States condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, where it is engaged in a retaliatory conflict following an attack by Hamas militants on October 7.
With the death toll in Gaza climbing, international pressure mounts on the United States to urge its ally Israel to halt hostilities and seek a ceasefire.
