US Air Force Serviceman: The individual was taken to the hospital with injuries deemed ‘critical and life-threatening,’ according to the fire department.
According to officials, a US Air Force active member burned himself alive outside the Israeli embassy in Washington on Sunday. Media reports suggested the man was demonstrating against the conflict in Gaza.
The fire department in the nation’s capital posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, stating that they received a “call for person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy,” prompting emergency crews to race to the area just before 1:00 pm (1800 GMT).
When they got there, they discovered that the fire had already been put out by agents of the US law enforcement organization known as the Secret Service, which is in charge of guarding visiting heads of state and other influential Americans.
With “critical life-threatening injuries,” the man was taken to the hospital, according to the fire service.
He is an active member of the Air Force, an Air Force spokeswoman told AFP, but they did not provide any more information.
According to an Israeli embassy spokesman, the man was “unknown” to them and there were no staff injuries in the event.
According to US media, the man reportedly livestreamed himself on Twitch while donning fatigues and pledging to “not be complicit in genocide” before soaking himself with fluids.
Then, crying “Free Palestine!” until he collapsed on the ground, he set himself on fire.
The video was taken down from Twitch, according to the New York Times, although AFP was unable to confirm this right away.
The terrible incident occurred at a time when anti-Israel protests in the US are growing in number. Israel is waging a retaliatory war in Gaza in response to an attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
According to the health ministry administered by Hamas in Gaza, the number of deaths there has approached 30,000. As a result, there has been growing international pressure on the US to rein in its partner Israel and demand a ceasefire.
