Published On 4/26/2026
Today, Sunday, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission announced the results of the local elections that took place in the West Bank and the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, amid official assurances that holding the elections under the current circumstances represents an important political step despite the low turnout rate in the Gaza Strip, and the complex field and financial challenges facing the Palestinian Authority.
In his speech during the conference, Chairman of the Elections Commission, Rami Hamdallah, reviewed the most prominent features of the electoral process, stressing that holding the elections in Deir al-Balah in itself represents an achievement in light of the complex circumstances taking place in the Gaza Strip, especially with the low participation rate, which reached about 23%.
He said that this percentage was affected by several factors, including reliance on a non-updated civil registry, in addition to the repercussions of the war and the large numbers of martyrs it left behind, whose data is still available, as well as the waves of internal displacement that affected the distribution of voters and their places of residence.
He added that holding elections in the Gaza Strip, even within a limited geographical scope, reflects the possibility of restoring the unity of the Palestinian electoral path, and opens the door to holding broader elections in the future that include various national institutions.
The Chairman of the Elections Commission also expressed the Palestinian Authority’s aspiration to complete this path by organizing general presidential and legislative elections, alongside the National Council, if appropriate political conditions are available.
The electoral process took place in light of a financial crisis facing the Palestinian Authority, linked to the decline in resources and the withholding of clearing funds, which was reflected in the election budget, which was reduced, while relying partly on support from international donors to help cover expenses.
In this context, Al-Hamdallah pointed out that organizing the elections required great financial and logistical efforts, in light of limited resources, which made external support an essential factor in the success of the process.
Warning against “stifling the bank”
For his part, Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa said that his government is making intense efforts to pressure Israel to release the clearance funds that have been withheld for about 12 months, at a time when he warned of the repercussions of what he described as policies aimed at undermining the institutions of the Palestinian Authority and preventing the establishment of an independent state.
Mustafa explained that the continued detention of clearing funds constitutes severe financial pressure on the Authority, stressing that “the Israeli occupation is deducting the Authority’s funds with the aim of demolishing our institutions and preventing the establishment of an independent state.”
The Prime Minister indicated that the Israeli measures are not limited to the financial aspect, but rather extend to what he described as “an integrated project to strangle the West Bank,” saying, “The occupation has a project to strangle the West Bank through several measures, including invasions, settlements, and cutting the Authority’s funds.”
Preliminary results and participation details
The preliminary results showed, after entering about 95% of the data, that a large number of local authorities won by acclamation, amounting to 197 authorities, while the final results are expected to be announced within days after the completion of the audits.
The number of voters reached about 522 thousand voters, with a participation rate of 56% recorded in the West Bank, which is a percentage close to the rates of the previous elections, while the total percentage when counting Deir al-Balah reached about 54%.
Salfit Governorate recorded the highest participation rate among the regions of the West Bank, while the lowest percentage was in Deir al-Balah, which reflects the disparity in field and political conditions between the regions.
The elections were held in Deir al-Balah for the first time in 22 years, as it was one of the least affected cities in the Gaza Strip following the Israeli genocidal war.
In terms of the quality of the electoral process, the percentage of invalid ballots reached 4%, while white ballots reached about 1%, and the percentage of valid ballots reached 95%. These are indicators that – according to praise be to God – reflect an acceptable level of electoral awareness, despite the challenges associated with the multiplicity of electoral systems used.
The Chairman of the Elections Commission also explained that the awareness campaigns implemented by the Commission contributed to reducing errors and improving voters’ performance during the voting process.
Representation of women
With regard to women’s representation, the percentage of women winners reached about 33% of the total winners, with official aspirations to increase this percentage in the coming sessions.
About 11,000 employees participated in organizing the process, working in its various stages, from preparation to sorting and data entry, as technical and administrative efforts continued for long continuous hours to ensure the issuance of the initial results in record time.
These elections come after the last election in 2005, amid the continuing Palestinian political division since 2007, which gives them special importance at the level of local government administration, despite the absence of legislative and presidential elections.
Palestinian presidential elections have not been held since 2005, nor legislative elections since 2006.
