Palestinian municipal elections proceed in West Bank and Deir el-Balah
The Central Elections Commission organises the polls across the occupied territories, electing council members for services in the West Bank while holding a symbolic vote in Gaza to reinforce Palestinian Authority authority.
Palestinians have cast ballots in municipal elections across the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Deir el-Balah area of the Gaza Strip, marking the first instance of voting in the territories since the war began in October 2023. Organised by the Ramallah-based Central Elections Commission, the process saw approximately 1.5 million people registered to vote in the West Bank, while 70,000 were eligible in Gaza.
In the West Bank, the vote elects members of local councils responsible for essential services such as water, roads, and electricity. These councils do not enact legislation but supervise infrastructure amidst a backdrop where public services are struggling to function following two years of conflict. Polling stations in these areas closed at 7 p.m. (1600 GMT) as the day concluded.
The political landscape for the elections is defined by the absence of Hamas-affiliated lists. Most electoral lists are aligned with President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party or run as independents. In many West Bank cities, including Nablus and Ramallah, only one list was submitted in several instances, meaning victory was automatic without a competitive vote. Despite this, polling suggests Hamas remains the most popular faction in both territories.
The vote in Gaza is largely symbolic, restricted to Deir el-Balah as it is one of the few areas in the enclave not to have experienced an Israeli ground invasion. The Palestinian Authority hopes the election there will help reinforce its claim to authority over the territory after its ouster by Hamas in 2007. Polling stations in Deir el-Balah closed at 5 p.m. (1400 GMT) due to a lack of electricity in the war-ravaged area.
UN coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov described the process as credible, noting the opportunity for Palestinians to exercise democratic rights during a challenging period. Fareed Taamallah, a spokesperson for the Elections Commission, stated that the main idea is to link the West Bank and Gaza politically as one system, reflecting the will of the Palestinian people to stay on their land.
Although Israel's government is opposed to the idea of the Palestinian Authority returning to rule Gaza, European and Arab governments broadly support an eventual return. The commission noted it had not coordinated directly with either Israel or Hamas in organising the vote, even as Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by several nations.
