Published on 4/25/2026
After a break that lasted for about two decades, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank returned to the ballot boxes in the local body elections, in a step whose dimensions go beyond the mere selection of municipal representatives, to become a complex political and logistical message in light of the exceptional circumstances that the Palestinian cause is going through.
The voting process in the Gaza Strip was limited to Deir al-Balah camp (which represents 15% of the Gaza Strip’s area), where the participation rate ranged between 21% and 25%, with the participation of about 15,000 voters out of 70,000 entitled to vote.
What is the message of the elections?
In turn, the Regional Director of the Palestinian Elections Commission, Jamil Al-Khalidi, stressed that the synchronization between Deir al-Balah and the West Bank in holding these elections is a message to the world that confirms the unity of Palestinian geography and the ability of the people to manage their affairs democratically despite the war.
The elections are also an attempt to renew legitimacy – from Al-Khalidi’s point of view – which has been suspended since 2006, as legislative and presidential elections were absent.
Observers believe that the goal behind the elections is to read the extent of the Palestinian street’s satisfaction or anger with the major factions and the current reality, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent.
The correspondent explained that the major factions preferred to “take a step back” and leave the arena to professional, independent, and non-politically colored lists, which aims to take the pulse of the Palestinian street’s mood.
Lists supported by the Fatah movement led by President Mahmoud Abbas are competing with independent lists, led by candidates from different factions, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, in the absence of lists affiliated with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
Human benefit
Al Jazeera’s correspondent directly reported that the committee’s objectives for these elections are that it is concerned with several matters, which are:
- Breaking international isolation: The trend towards electing “independent, professional and non-factional” figures aims to facilitate the dealings of international bodies and the international community with municipal councils. Some international institutions are reluctant to deal with councils affiliated with specific factions, which ensures the flow of aid and services.
- Managing the displaced crisis: The city hosts about 800,000 displaced people, and the elections produce a new council responsible for managing the worsening crises in the water, electricity, food distribution and basic services sectors.
- Reducing popular exhaustion: The presence of a regular, elected local body helps organize “survival lines” (water and bread) and provide services to a population exhausted by war for years.
What is the reason for the weak participation in Gaza?
The reasons for weak participation in Gaza are due to the conflict of priorities that Gazans suffer from, as voting queues crowded with queues for water, food and bread, according to the reporter.
The state of exhaustion suffered by Gazans has made the pursuit of a living precede the desire for political practice among some.
Field challenges
Due to the destruction of schools in Gaza, tents donated by the United Nations Development Program were used as alternative polling stations. The occupation’s ban on entry of equipment was also overcome by manufacturing ballot boxes and providing ink and papers with local alternatives.
While the elections in the West Bank faced major security challenges, including occupation checkpoints and closures, and some candidates were threatened and arrested by Israeli forces.
Why Deir al-Balah?
According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent, Deir al-Balah was chosen to conduct the voting process because it was the least destroyed city in the Gaza Strip, which provided a possible environment for establishing polling stations.
The city has also become a vital center, hosting between 700 and 800 thousand displaced people, which has doubled the need for an elected municipal council to manage the worsening crises in the water, electricity and basic services sectors.
According to the latest figures announced by the Central Elections Commission, the final percentage of participation in all regions reached 53.44%.
In the West Bank, the elections included 138 local councils out of 420, with the city of Qalqilya topping the voting percentage with 52.8%, while Jerusalem recorded the lowest percentage with 35% (the elections were held in only 5 councils and the rest were decided by acclamation).
Sorting operations began immediately after the boxes closed on Saturday evening, and the official announcement of the final results is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday.
