A 26-year-old airman, currently on leave from his overseas duty station, has initiated a hunger strike outside the White House in protest against the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Inspired by Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old active-duty member of the United States Air Force who tragically set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., in protest against the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza, Senior Airman Larry Hebert, an integrated avionics journeyman from New Hampshire stationed at Naval Station Rota in Spain, commenced his hunger strike at midnight on April 1.

Western media has assumed the role of a defense attorney for "Israel".

Through its narrative construction, it has adeptly portrayed the oppressor, "Israel", as a victim in disguise, blurring the lines between truth and deception. Consequently, what transpires is not merely a… pic.twitter.com/udtodwvb1v

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 28, 2024

In an interview for Military.com, Hebert, who has served for six years, expressed his intent to sustain the hunger strike, consuming only water and a juice supplement, for as long as he physically can.
 
"I don't have a stop or an end for it right now," Hebert said during the phone interview. "I'm going to go until my body cannot go any longer or we get the cease-fire and the end of unconditional aid to Israel."

'Active-Duty Airman Refuses to Eat While Gaza Starves'

Standing outside the White House with a sign bearing the message "Active-Duty Airman Refuses to Eat While Gaza Starves," Hebert's demonstration represents the most recent public protest by an airman against the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

US AIRMAN Larry Hebert rails against Gaza genocide: pic.twitter.com/6Bv4pYKcDH

— PalMedia (@PalBint) April 3, 2024

The genocide in Gaza has ignited strong emotions and strained political divisions in the United States, a country that has maintained a longstanding alliance with "Israel".

Hebert expressed that his inspiration stemmed not only from Bushnell's tragic death itself but also from the military's lack of response to the genocide.

"I felt and resonated exactly with how he was feeling, and so that was really powerful and influential," Hebert said. "But what really infuriated me was the response afterward. So, after his actions, leadership within the military and within our government was just silence. There was utter silence surrounding Aaron Bushnell and what he did."

Fearing punishment

According to Department of Defense Instruction 1325.06, members of the armed forces are prohibited from participating in off-post demonstrations while on duty, in a foreign country, if the activities could lead to a breach of law and order, if violence is likely, or if they are in uniform.

Hebert's service record, provided by the Department of the Air Force, confirms his status as an active-duty airman who enlisted in September 2018.

Hebert said as quoted by Military.com that he intends to apply for conscientious objector status and hopes his command will consider reassigning him. However, he also expressed concerns about potential repercussions from the military.

"This is not something that the military exactly enjoys dealing with," Hebert said. "So, it's definitely not going to be the greatest conversation between me and my command. But hopefully they'll understand that I'm not out here saying that all the military is evil or that our government is evil or anything like that. I'm out here, objecting to the starvation, and the bombing and a siege of innocent civilians."

The United States has provided military assistance, including Iron Dome rockets, and some special operations forces to aid "Israel" in intelligence operations and planning during the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Additionally, the Navy has dispatched ships to the Red Sea in response to attacks by Yemeni fighters targeting commercial shipping in support of the Resistance and Palestinians.

Hebert intends to spend the entire week protesting outside the White House and then move to Congress on April 8 when lawmakers return from recess. His plans were announced by Veterans For Peace, a nonprofit organization of military veterans advocating for an end to all wars.

Various veterans, service members, and government officials have spoken out about the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In response to Bushnell's death, veteran protesters in Portland, Oregon, reportedly burned their military uniforms. Moreover, in November, over 500 members of President Joe Biden's administration signed an open letter urging him to push for a ceasefire.

Read next: 180 days of genocide later, White House denies Israeli law violations