Current:Home > InvestU.S. Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in Washington in apparent protest against war in Gaza-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
U.S. Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in Washington in apparent protest against war in Gaza
View Date:2024-12-24 20:11:35
An active-duty U.S. Air Force member has died after he set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday in an apparent protest of Israel's actions in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, officials said. An Air Force spokesperson told CBS News on Monday the airman died Sunday night.
Washington's Metropolitan Police Department identified the man as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell, of San Antonio, Texas.
The man set himself on fire around 1 p.m. ET and both the U.S. Secret Service and the police department responded, the agencies said.
The embassy said in a statement to CBS News that no staff members were injured.
MPD also investigated a "suspicious vehicle" it said may be connected to the man who set himself on fire, but that vehicle was cleared around 4 p.m.
In a video that was livestreamed on Twitch, the man identified himself and said he was an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force confirmed an active duty airman was involved, but did not identify him.
Prior to setting himself on fire, the man said he would "no longer be complicit in genocide" and that he was "about to engage in an extreme act of protest." After setting himself on fire, he yelled "free Palestine" repeatedly.
The Twitch channel has since been removed, but Talia Jane, an independent reporter who received a link to the video earlier Sunday, archived the video and shared it with CBS News.
This is the second time someone has set themselves on fire outside an Israeli facility in the U.S. since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
A protester set themself on fire outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta last December. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene after what police referred to as an "extreme act of political protest," according to the BBC.
More than four months after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the death toll in Gaza is nearing 30,000, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Sunday's incident comes less than a week after the United States vetoed a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, although negotiations to broker a temporary cease-fire to facilitate the further release of hostages are ongoing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also continued to defend his military's actions in Gaza.
While the State Department twice in December bypassed Congress to approve emergency weapons sales to Israel, President Biden has become more critical of Israel's tactics in recent weeks, at one point calling Israel's response in Gaza "over the top." Mr. Biden has also urged Netanyahu to refrain from a ground assault in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have already sought refuge from the fighting, unless Israel had a "credible" plan to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians.
Netanyahu, however, seemed intent on launching a ground assault on Rafah, saying Sunday on "Face the Nation" that such an operation would mean, "the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion."
The leaders of several countries have accused Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza, with South Africa bringing a case before the United Nations' International Court of Justice. In a January interim judgment, then-ICJ President Joan E. Donoghue refused Israel's request to dismiss the case. The court found it had jurisdiction to consider the case, noting there were plausible claims Israel could be committing genocidal acts. The court, however, did not order a cease-fire.
Netanyahu has denied any claims of genocide, saying after the court's interim ruling the allegation is "not only false, it's outrageous."
Eleanor Watson contributed reporting.
- In:
- Israel
- U.S. Air Force
- Washington D.C.
Jordan Freiman is an editor and writer for CBSNews.com. He covers breaking news, trending stories, sports and crime. Jordan has previously worked at Spin and Death and Taxes.
veryGood! (45)
Related
- Watch as massive amount of crabs scamper across Australian island: 'It's quite weird'
- North Carolina’s Goal of Slashing Greenhouse Gases Faces Political Reality Test
- Vanderpump Rules’ Ariana Madix Addresses Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss Breakup Rumors
- High inflation and housing costs force Americans to delay needed health care
- Judge sets date for 9/11 defendants to enter pleas, deepening battle over court’s independence
- EU Utilities Vow End to Coal After 2020, as Trump Promises Revival
- People who think they're attractive are less likely to wear masks, a study shows
- Come on Barbie, Let's Go Shopping: Forever 21 Just Launched an Exclusive Barbie Collection
- Tesla Cybertruck modifications upgrade EV to a sci-fi police vehicle
- Walgreens won't sell abortion pills in red states that threatened legal action
Ranking
- Powell says Fed will likely cut rates cautiously given persistent inflation pressures
- Texas Gov. Abbott signs bill banning transgender athletes from participating on college sports teams aligned with their gender identities
- Conor McGregor accused of violently sexually assaulting a woman in a bathroom at NBA Finals game
- Dolce Vita's Sale Section Will Have Your Wardrobe Vacation-Ready on a Budget
- Veterans Day restaurant deals 2024: More than 80 discounts, including free meals
- Michigan bans hairstyle discrimination in workplaces and schools
- Carbon Footprint of Canada’s Oil Sands Is Larger Than Thought
- In Texas, Medicaid ends soon after childbirth. Will lawmakers allow more time?
Recommendation
-
Pennsylvania House Republicans pick new floor leader after failing to regain majority
-
Can Energy-Efficient Windows Revive U.S. Glass Manufacturing?
-
LGBTQ+ youth are less likely to feel depressed with parental support, study says
-
Germany’s Nuke Shutdown Forces Utility Giant E.ON to Cut 11,000 Jobs
-
2025 NFL Draft order: Updated first round picks after Week 10 games
-
Keystone XL Pipeline Foes Rev Up Fight Again After Trump’s Rubber Stamp
-
Wray publicly comments on the FBI's position on COVID's origins, adding political fire
-
John Stamos Shares the Heart-Melting Fatherhood Advice Bob Saget Gave Him About Son Billy