With 70,000 voters, Deir al-Balah was the only city in the Palestinian enclave to participate in this Saturday’s election (25 April)
Palestinians went to the polls this Saturday (April 25, 2026) in municipal elections that marked the return of the electoral process after 20 years. Participation, however, was low: only 22.7% of voters turned out in Deir al-Balah, the only city in the enclave to host the election. In , participation reached 53.44%, according to official data.
The election represents the first vote of any kind held in the Gaza Strip since 2006. In the West Bank, the last municipal election had been held 4 years ago.
Voting in Gaza was restricted to Deir al-Balah. According to the Palestinian Central Electoral Committee, the city has suffered less from Israeli attacks since 2023 than other cities in the rest of the Gaza Strip.
O committee claims that more than 1 million Palestinians are eligible to vote.
based in the West Bank, wants to use Deir al-Balah’s participation in the process to strengthen its claim to governance over the Gaza Strip. The information is from Reuters. The territory has been controlled by Hamas since 2007.
“Gaza is an inseparable part of the State of Palestine. Therefore, we work by all means to ensure that elections take place in Deir al-Balah in order to affirm the unity of the two parts of the country“, said the Palestinian president.
Abbas said elections would be held across the Gaza Strip when conditions permitted.
Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly two decades, has not formally nominated any candidate.
Most candidates, including in the West Bank, are running for Fatah, the main political movement behind the Palestinian Authority, or as independents.
The Palestinian Authority indicated that the results will be released on Sunday (26 April).
