Explained: Who was Bahaa Abu al-Ata, the Palestinian militant killed in Gaza this week?

The 42-year-old Bahaa Abu al-Ata played a major role in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military wing. He was a household name in Gaza, and had been on Israel’s hit list for years, being accused of plotting rocket fire, drone, and sniper attacks into Israeli territory

Palestinians chant slogans as they carry the body of Islamic Jihad commander, Bahaa Abu el-Atta, killed with his wife by an Israeli missile strike on their home, during his funeral in Gaza City, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. (AP Photo: Khalil Hamra)

On Tuesday, Israel killed a major Palestinian militant leader in a surgical strike in Gaza. Bahaa Abu al-Ata, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, was accused of planning rocket and other attacks against Israel over the past few years.