Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and parts of Gaza have begun casting ballots in municipal elections, marking the first such vote since the Gaza war under a limited political landscape and widespread public frustration.
According to the Central Elections Commission, around 1.5 million voters are registered in the West Bank, along with about 70,000 in Deir el-Balah in Gaza, where polling is also taking place.
Polling stations opened Saturday morning, with voting observed in areas such as Al-Bireh in the West Bank and Deir el-Balah in Gaza.
Most electoral lists are aligned with Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement or running as independents, while no lists affiliated with Hamas are participating.
In several major cities, including Ramallah and Nablus, only a single list has been submitted, meaning candidates are set to win unopposed.
Voters expressed mixed feelings, with some saying the elections are unlikely to bring meaningful change due to ongoing Israeli control in many areas.
Polling hours differ by location, with voting in Gaza scheduled to end earlier due to electricity shortages in the war-affected enclave.
UN official Ramiz Alakbarov described the vote as an important opportunity for Palestinians to exercise democratic rights despite difficult conditions.
The election in Deir el-Balah is being closely watched, as it is one of the few areas in Gaza where voting could be organised following prolonged conflict.
Observers say the vote reflects both the challenges of governance in the current environment and efforts to maintain political processes amid instability.
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