On February 25, an active member of the U.S. Air Force set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, reportedly protesting the conflict in Gaza. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find that the fire had already been extinguished by Secret Service officers. The individual was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.
While the Israeli embassy confirmed no staff were harmed, they stated the man was unknown to them. Reports indicate the man live-streamed his actions on Twitch, expressing opposition to what he termed as “genocide” and shouting “Free Palestine” before igniting himself. The incident occurred amidst increasing protests in the U.S. against Israel’s actions in Gaza, with international pressure mounting for a ceasefire amid rising casualties.