A US airman has died after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC yesterday.

He has been identified as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas.

In a video aired live on Twitch, Mr Bushnell said he was a serving member of the Air Force.

Before setting himself on fire, he said he was “about to engage in an extreme act of protest” and declared that he would “no longer be complicit in genocide”.

After setting himself on fire, he repeatedly shouted “free Palestine”.

According to reports, officers from the US Secret Service extinguished the flames, however Mr Bushnell was taken to the hospital in a critical condition and later died of his injuries.

Israel launched an assault on Gaza after Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7th 2023 killing at least 1,139 people and seizing about 250 as hostages.

Palestinian authorities say more than 29,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault.