A man suffered “life-threatening injuries” after he set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
Just before 1 p.m. on Sunday, local authorities responded to a call for “a person on fire outside the Israeli Embassy” in Washington D.C., D.C. according to a statement by Fire and EMS on Sunday. When fire crews arrived at the scene, the flames had already been extinguished by members of the U.S. Secret Service
The man, who was not identified at the time of publication, was transported to an area hospital, D.C. Fire and EMS said the statement. The man was listed in critical condition, according to local media citing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
No one else was injured in the incident, which happened in the 3500 block of International Drive Northwest in Washington. The Secret Service and the MPD are investigating.
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Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday to the MPD for comment.
The man reportedly said he was setting himself ablaze outside of the embassy in the U.S. capital to protest Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, according to The Washington Post.
A graphic video shared online shows him shouting “Free Palestine” as he’s engulfed in flames. In the video, the man said he was an active-duty member of the U.S. Air Force and said, “I will be no longer complicit in genocide.”
A spokesperson for the Air Force told the Washington Post that they had not yet identified the man or verified whether he is a service member.
Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday to the Air Force for comment and an update.
The conflict in the Middle East has seen the Israeli military launch its largest-ever airstrike campaign and ground offensive in Gaza, which was home to about 2.3 million Palestinians at the start of the war. The bloodshed erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led a surprise attack in southern Israel that killed roughly 1,200 people. The militant group also seized more than 250 hostages in the border raid, according to Reuters. In total, Israel’s offensive has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians in the territory, according to the outlet, citing Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Earlier this month, the ministry announced that more than 12,300 Palestinian children have been killed since Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza began in October, the Associated Press reported.
The Palestinian civilian death toll and distressing images of children dead in the rubble of bombed buildings resulted in mounting international calls for a ceasefire and increased pressure on U.S. President Joe Biden to take a tougher line on Israel.
Despite the increasing condemnation over civilian deaths and demands for a ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that the army will continue its offensive to destroy Hamas, to bring home the remaining hostages and to stop Gaza from posing a threat.
For anyone in need of help, visit 988lifeline.org or call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
