US pilot catches fire in front of Israeli embassy in Washington

An active member of the United States Air Force set himself on fire this Sunday, February 25, in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, authorities reported, while local media claimed that he was protesting the war in Gaza.

Emergency teams responded to the scene shortly before 1 p.m. in response to a “call for a person on fire in front of the Israeli embassy,” according to a message on the X social network of the US capital’s Fire Department.

When they arrived they found that The fire had already been extinguished by agents of the Secret Service, the police agency in charge of protecting the political authorities of the United States.visiting heads of state and other relevant figures.

According to firefighters, the man He was taken to hospital with “critical life-threatening injuries.”

An Air Force spokesperson confirmed to AFP that he was an active member of that unit, but did not offer further details.

A spokesman for the Israeli embassy said that no staff had been injured in the incident and that the man was “unknown” to them.

Local media reported that The subject, who was wearing a uniform, apparently broadcast live on the social network Twitch, ensuring that “he will not be complicit in genocide.” before being sprayed with liquid.

He then set himself on fire while shouting “Free Palestine!” until she fell to the ground in front of the Israeli embassy, ​​according to reports.

AFP was not able to immediately verify the footage, while The New York Times reported that the recording was removed from Twitch.

The event occurred at a time when protests are increasing in the United States against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where it is waging a war in retaliation for the unprecedented attack perpetrated on its territory on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

That day the militants killed 1,160 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped about 250, according to an AFP report based on Israeli data.

The death toll in Gaza from Israel’s response is approaching 30,000, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, increasing international pressure on the United States to rein in its ally Israel and call for a Stop the fire.