An active duty member of the Air Force passed away after self-immolating in protest of the situation in the Gaza Strip. The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old airman, set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, with Bushnell starting a live stream on Twitch before igniting himself. Reports indicate that he expressed his refusal to be associated with genocide before the tragic event.
The Air Force said in a statement, “The individual involved in yesterday’s incident succumbed to his injuries and passed away last night.”
As Israel continues its military operations against Hamas, negotiations for a potential ceasefire are underway, coinciding with the incident that occurred while Israel was getting ready to invade the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
“It has to be done,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach.”
Bushnell’s statement regarding genocide coincides with the heavy criticism Israel has been facing due to the death toll in Gaza. The Hamas-run health agency in Gaza reports that 28,000 individuals have lost their lives in the conflict, with 70% of the casualties being women and children.
Israeli authorities have strongly refuted allegations of genocide, emphasizing that Hamas operates within densely populated urban areas. Furthermore, Hamas has been accused of using civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, as command centers. U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that Hamas utilized the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to hold hostages. The conflict escalated after Hamas initiated an unprovoked attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of approximately 250 hostages.
