Police did not immediately provide any additional deta𒁏ils about🐻 the incident.
An active-duty member of the US Air Force was critically injured Sunday after setting himself ablaze outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, while declaring𒁃 that he "will no longer be complicit i🎃n genocide", a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
The man, whose name wasn't immediately released, walked up to the embassy shortly before 1 pm and began live-streaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, the person said. Law enforcement officials believe the man started a livestream, set his phone down and then doused himself inಌ accelerant and ignited the flames. At one point, he said he “will no longer be complicit in genocide,” the person said. The video was later removed from the platform, but law enforcement officials have obtained and reviewed a copy.
The pe🧜rson was not authorised to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Police did not immediately provide any additional details about the incident.&nb🀅sp;
The incident happened as Israeli Pri❀me Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking the cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah while a temporary cease-fire deal is being negotiated. Israel's military offensive in Gaza, however, has drawn criticisms, including genocide claims against the Palestini𒅌ans.
Israel has adamantly denied the genocide alle🌌gations and says it is car♊rying out operations in accordance with international law in the Israel-Hamas war.
In December, a person self-immolated outside the Israeli consulate i⭕n Atlanta and used gasoline as an accelerant, according to Atlanta's fire authorities. A Palestinian flag was found at the scene, and the act was believed to be one of “extreme political p🗹rotest.”
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington said its officers had responded to the scene outside the Israeli Embassy to assist U.S. Secret Service officers and that its bomb squad had also been called to examine a suspicious vehicle. Police said no hazardous🤡 materials were found in the vehicle.