Historic Local Elections in Palestine: A Step Towards Democracy

Sat Apr 25 2026 12:14:05 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Palestinians vote in local elections for the first time in over a decade, with significant implications for governance amid regional turmoil. The elections take place in the West Bank and the only polling station in Gaza amidst ongoing tensions.

On Saturday, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza cast votes in local elections, marking the first such polls in Gaza since 2006. The elections come amid complex political dynamics, notably with Hamas barred from participating. While Fatah holds significant advantage, the sentiment among voters reveals a desire for democratic progress amid ongoing challenges.

Palestinians are voting in local elections on Saturday, including the first poll of any kind to be held in Gaza since 2006.

Elections are taking place across the occupied West Bank, as well as in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza where Hamas operates.

Hamas was not allowed to stand in the election, and several other factions have boycotted it over a requirement that candidates commit to recognizing the authority of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which dominates the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing in parts of the occupied West Bank not under Israeli control.

Fatah, the faction led by President Mahmoud Abbas and which dominates the PLO, was violently ousted from Gaza by Hamas in the aftermath of the last elections there.

While Hamas was not on the ballot in Deir al-Balah, Reuters news agency reported that one slate of candidates was widely seen as being aligned with it.

The central city was chosen as the sole Gaza area where elections would take place as it was not as badly damaged as other places during the Israel-Hamas war. A fragile ceasefire is in place as part of President Trump's 20-point peace plan, which halted the fighting in October last year.

Hamas continues to operate in parts of Gaza where Israeli forces have withdrawn from, and Reuters reported that its police force was involved in security operations around polling stations.

More than a million voters across the Palestinian territories are eligible to take part, according to the Ramallah-based Central Elections Commission, including 70,000 in Deir al-Balah, where 12 polling stations were scheduled to operate.

Voting began at 07:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and polls close at 19:00 local time. The results are expected late on Saturday or on Sunday.

Local elections have not been held in the West Bank since 2022, while the last poll of any kind in Gaza was two decades ago. The elections represent an important opportunity, according to the United Nations, for Palestinians to exercise their democratic rights during an exceptionally challenging period.

Despite the elections, sentiment among voters remains mixed, as evident in comments from citizens on the ground who express a desire for change amidst ongoing occupation and political division.