American Air Force Personnel Burns Himself Outside Israeli Embassy

A member of the US Air Force reportedly set himself ablaze outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, identified as a form of protest against the ongoing conflict in Gaza, according to officials and media reports.

Emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene shortly before 1:00 pm (1800 GMT) following a distress call regarding a “person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy,” as indicated in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, by the capital’s fire department.

Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered that officers from the Secret Service, the US law enforcement agency responsible for safeguarding US political leaders, visiting heads of state, and others, had already extinguished the fire.

The fire department reported that the man was transported to the hospital with “critical life-threatening injuries.”

An Air Force spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the individual involved was an active member of the Air Force, offering no further details, while a spokesperson for the Israeli embassy clarified that no staff members were injured during the incident, adding that they were unfamiliar with the individual.

According to US media reports, the individual allegedly broadcasted himself on Twitch, dressed in fatigues, and proclaimed he would “not be complicit in genocide” before pouring liquid over himself.

Subsequently, he ignited himself while shouting, “Free Palestine!” until he collapsed on the ground.

The horrific incident happened at a time when anti-Israel protests are spreading across the country as Israel is waging a retaliatory war in Gaza in response to an attack on October 7, 2023 by Hamas terrorists.