WASHINGTON D.C. – In a shocking incident, a man set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington D.C. on Sunday, October 22nd, 2023, just before 1:00 PM EST.
Emergency Response:
- Responders rushed to the scene after receiving a call about a person on fire.
- Upon arrival, they found the fire already extinguished by Secret Service officers.
- The man, identified as an active member of the Air Force, sustained critical life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital.
Motive and Investigation:
- U.S. media reports suggest the man live-streamed himself on Twitch before the incident.
- In the video, he allegedly wore fatigues, declared his refusal to be “complicit in genocide,” and shouted “Free Palestine!” before setting himself alight.
- Authorities haven’t confirmed the video, and it was reportedly removed from Twitch.
- The Israeli embassy confirmed no staff were injured and that the man was unknown to them.
Context and Geopolitical Tension:
- This incident coincides with growing protests across the United States against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
- The conflict follows an attack on October 7th by Hamas militants, leading to a retaliatory war from Israel.
- As the death toll in Gaza nears 30,000 according to the Hamas-run health ministry, international pressure mounts on the U.S. to intervene and call for a ceasefire.
