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A member of the United States Air Force who was on active duty lights himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, as a protest against the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
A video live streamed on Twitch, appeared to show the airman in uniform standing in front of the embassy gate and identifying himself as a member of the US Air Force, the New York Times and Washington Post reported.
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I’m about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal,” 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell said before setting himself on fire.
Following the extinguishment of the fire by members of the Secret Service, Bushnell was subsequently sent to the hospital due to “critical life-threatening injuries,” as declared by the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services in the District of Columbia.
It was stated in a number of different sources that the man yelled “Free Palestine” while he was burning, and numerous news outlets cited the live streaming of the event as their source.
As per information from the Washington Post, Rose M. Riley, a spokesperson for the United States Air Force, confirmed that an active duty airman was indeed involved in today’s incident.
According to the officials, the investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
In December 2023, an individual committed suicide by setting themselves on fire in front of the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, as a form of protest against Israel for its attacks in Gaza.
Since an incursion across the border by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip.
This attack has resulted in the deaths of over 29,690 people, as well as widespread destruction and shortages of essential items. It is believed that nearly 1,200 Israelis have been killed.
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