US Airmen Aaron Bushnell has Died After Setting Himself on Fire outside The Israeli Embassy. His Final Words were “Free Palestine”

HR NEWS
3 min readFeb 26, 2024

On February 25, 2024, the world witnessed a harrowing act of protest outside the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. United States military serviceman Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire, engulfed in flames, as a desperate plea against the ongoing Israel–Hamas war. His last words echoed through the smoke and pain: “I will no longer be complicit in genocide.”

The Tragic Act

Bushnell’s self-immolation was broadcast live on Twitch, capturing the raw intensity of his anguish. As the flames consumed him, he repeatedly screamed, “Free Palestine.” His sacrifice marked a grim milestone: the first time an active-duty member of the United States military had immolated themselves in protest

The Motivation

Bushnell’s message was clear: he could no longer bear the weight of complicity. His planned act of protest was a response to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a message

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