This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50386164
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Israel kills Baha Abu al-Ata, top Palestinian militant in Gaza | Israel kills Baha Abu al-Ata, top Palestinian militant in Gaza |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israel has killed one of the most senior commanders of a militant group in the Gaza Strip in an air strike. | Israel has killed one of the most senior commanders of a militant group in the Gaza Strip in an air strike. |
| Baha Abu al-Ata, a leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), died along with his wife when a missile hit their home, the group said. | |
| Israel said Abu al-Ata was a "ticking bomb" who was planning "imminent terrorist attacks". | Israel said Abu al-Ata was a "ticking bomb" who was planning "imminent terrorist attacks". |
| Rocket barrages were fired at southern Israel from Gaza in the wake of the killing, which PIJ has vowed to avenge. | Rocket barrages were fired at southern Israel from Gaza in the wake of the killing, which PIJ has vowed to avenge. |
| A man was lightly injured when a rocket struck a main road in the Beer Tuvia area, north-east of Gaza. | |
| Medics said an eight-year-old girl was also in a serious condition after collapsing as her family rushed towards a bomb shelter when an air raid siren sounded in Holon, south of Tel Aviv. | |
| PIJ, which is backed by Iran, is the second largest militant group in Gaza and has carried out many rocket attacks on Israel. | PIJ, which is backed by Iran, is the second largest militant group in Gaza and has carried out many rocket attacks on Israel. |
| Around the same time as the attack on Abu al-Ata, two people were killed and 10 injured in an Israeli air strike on the home of another PIJ leader in the Syrian capital, Damascus, Syria's state news agency Sana said. | |
| It was not clear if the leader, Akram al-Ajouri, was among the dead. Sana said his son Moaz was killed. | It was not clear if the leader, Akram al-Ajouri, was among the dead. Sana said his son Moaz was killed. |
| Israel has not commented on the report. | Israel has not commented on the report. |
| PIJ has its headquarters in Damascus and also operates in the Gaza Strip. | PIJ has its headquarters in Damascus and also operates in the Gaza Strip. |
| What happened? | What happened? |
| Baha Abu al-Ata and his wife were killed as they slept on the third floor of a building in Shejaiya district of Gaza City, Palestinian sources said. | Baha Abu al-Ata and his wife were killed as they slept on the third floor of a building in Shejaiya district of Gaza City, Palestinian sources said. |
| Palestinian health officials said four of their children and a neighbour were injured. | Palestinian health officials said four of their children and a neighbour were injured. |
| The Israeli prime minister's office said Abu al-Ata "was responsible for many terrorist attacks and the firing of rockets at Israel in recent months and had intended to carry out imminent attacks". | The Israeli prime minister's office said Abu al-Ata "was responsible for many terrorist attacks and the firing of rockets at Israel in recent months and had intended to carry out imminent attacks". |
| In the wake of his killing, about 50 rockets were from fired at Israel from Gaza, some of which hit the Israeli city of Sderot on the Gaza border. | In the wake of his killing, about 50 rockets were from fired at Israel from Gaza, some of which hit the Israeli city of Sderot on the Gaza border. |
| Air raid sirens sounded throughout Israel, where a military spokesman said they were "preparing for a number of days of fighting". | Air raid sirens sounded throughout Israel, where a military spokesman said they were "preparing for a number of days of fighting". |
| Later, the Israeli military said its aircraft had targeted two militants from PIJ's rocket-launching unit, who they said "posed an immediate threat". | |
| Gaza's health ministry said one Palestinian was killed and several were injured in an Israeli strike in northern Gaza. | |
| The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and is considered a rival of the PIJ, condemned Abu al-Ata's killing, vowing it "will not pass without punishment". | The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and is considered a rival of the PIJ, condemned Abu al-Ata's killing, vowing it "will not pass without punishment". |
| The flare-up marks a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, which have fought each other in wars and cross-border skirmishes for years. |