An active-duty airman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy on Sunday to protest U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza has died, a D.C. police spokesman said Monday morning.
Washington
Airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in D.C.
The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. Sunday in the 3500 block of International Drive NW. A video shared online that multiple officials said appeared to be posted by the man shows him referring to his service in the U.S. armed forces and shouting “Free Palestine!” as he burned.
Air Force spokeswoman Rose M. Riley confirmed in an email that “an active duty airman was involved in today’s incident.” Further details of his military service were not immediately available.
Officials said that uniformed Secret Service officers responded to a report of a person experiencing a possible medical or mental health emergency and discovered the fire. Those officers extinguished the fire before D.C. firefighters arrived. He was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
In the video, which is just over three minutes long, one person can be heard saying, “Hi, sir, can I help you?” as the man approaches the gate to the embassy.
About 12 seconds later — as a person again asks, “Can I help you, sir?” — the man sets himself on fire. Law enforcement extinguished the blaze soon thereafter.
Authorities on Sunday afternoon said they were still investigating. It was not immediately clear whether the Air Force would investigate the man’s actions, although the service typically scrutinizes suicide attempts.
Defense Department policy states that service members should “not engage in partisan political activity” and must “avoid inferences” that political activities imply or appear to have endorsement from military leaders. Doing so while in uniform is considered especially problematic.
Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October, at least 29,600 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel estimates that about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack and says 240 soldiers have been killed since the start of its military operation in Gaza.
Hamas and allied fighters took more than 250 people hostage during the attack. More than 100 were freed in exchange for more than 200 Palestinian detainees during a November pause in fighting. Israeli authorities believe that more than 100 hostages remain in Gaza.