A man is in critical condition after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC on Sunday. The Metropolitan police department responded to the incident on International Drive around 1pm to assist the Secret Service. The man, an active US Air Force member, was on fire for about a minute before law enforcement extinguished the flames. He was transported to a local hospital and remains in critical condition.

The man was heard shouting "Free Palestine" while engulfed in flames. An explosive ordnance disposal unit was called to the scene in relation to a suspicious vehicle that may be linked to the individual, however, no hazardous material was found. The Israeli embassy confirmed that none of its staff were injured.

The incident outside the Israeli embassy comes amidst protests by pro-Palestinian demonstrators calling for a ceasefire to the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, where the death toll is expected to surpass 30,000 this week. Gaza health authorities reported that Israeli strikes have killed 29,692 Palestinians since October, with two-thirds of the casualties being women and children. The offensive was initiated following cross-border attacks by Hamas in October that resulted in the death of about 1,200 people.

In a similar incident in December last year, a protester set themselves on fire outside an Israeli consulate office in Atlanta, resulting in hospitalizations for both the protester and a guard who suffered burns.