New Hampshire Native in Military Launches Hunger Strike Against Gaza Conflict

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire — Born and bred in New Hampshire, an active-duty airman is protesting the continuing war in Gaza by going on a hunger strike outside the White House.

In Washington, D.C., Senior Airman Larry Hebert is on his third day of a hunger strike. He was most recently stationed in Spain and is currently on leave from the Air Force.

Hebert acknowledged that before the start of the fighting, he knew very nothing about Israel or Gaza, but he said he was unable to ignore the pictures emerging from the conflict area.

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Over 250 people were abducted and about 1,200 people were killed in the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. There are still some people in captivity.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 32,000 people have died as a result of Israel’s incursion into the territory in the subsequent months.

Hebert claimed that he organized his hunger strike in response to the death of an Air Force comrade who had self-immolated outside the Israeli embassy in Washington to express disapproval of the war.

He describes the situation in Gaza as a genocide and claims that American officials have abandoned their principles.

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“I want people to stop being complicit in the genocide, plain and simple,” Hebert stated. “I am unable to resume supporting the mission unless actions are taken in the direction of peace. I can’t justify doing that. Most people disagree with it,” he remarked.

Hebert declared that he would spend the entire week outside the White House. He will go to the U.S. Capitol on Monday to carry on his hunger strike in front of Congress as soon as the members return from their recess.