Gaza and West Bank Hold First Municipal Elections in Over Two Decades

On 25 April 2026 the Palestinian Authority held municipal elections in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, and across the West Bank. It was Gaza’s first vote since Hamas took power in 2006. About 70,000 Gaza residents—under five percent of the population—were eligible; turnout was 23 percent in Gaza and 56 percent in the West Bank. In Gaza, the Fatah-aligned Nahdat Deir al-Balah list won six of 15 seats, the Hamas-aligned Brings Us Together list secured two, and two independent groups took the remaining seats. Abbas-loyalist candidates swept the West Bank.

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Regional director Jamil al-Khalidi said destroyed schools forced polling in tents. Ashraf Shuaibi called the vote a model for future national elections. Carter Center director Sarah Johnson said Gaza’s inclusion is essential for credible Palestinian self-determination. Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa called the polls “highly sensitive” but necessary for unity. Central Elections Commission chair Rami al-Hamdallah reported Israeli restrictions delayed some ballot boxes. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem downplayed the results, saying they would not affect broader national issues.

The Straits Times

Journalist Mahmoud Hreibat called the process “a wedding with no groom,” and activist Huda Al-Imam warned the vote could become a “mere formal procedure.” Hamas boycotted West Bank races and used armed guards at Gaza polling sites, drawing scrutiny. Observers questioned whether the symbolic vote could lead to substantive reforms.

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CNN cited roughly 70,000 eligible Gaza voters; Reuters-based data gave a 23 percent turnout, creating a discrepancy. Rami al-Hamdallah said Israeli restrictions delayed some ballot boxes. Final results remained pending, leaving Hamas-aligned support unclear.

The Straits Times

• “Honestly, as a Palestinian and a son of the Gaza Strip, I feel proud that after this war, the democratic process is returning,” — Mamdouh al-Bhaisi, voter

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• “Holding municipal elections in Deir al-Balah is a positive and important step,” — Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman

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• “Ramallah in this scene let down everyone who expected to feel the pulse of elections there. It left the democratic celebration incomplete, cold, and soulless.” — Mahmoud Hreibat, journalist

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• “The elections risk becoming a mere formal procedure rather than a genuine democratic process that reflect people’s will and choice, or responds to the grave and urgent conditions that shape our tragic daily lives under the occupation’s crimes.” — Huda Al-Imam, activist

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The municipal results may affect the Palestinian Authority’s bargaining position in stalled U.S.–brokered ceasefire talks and shape plans for long-delayed presidential and legislative elections. International observers will assess whether the vote translates into broader reforms or remains a symbolic gesture amid ongoing conflict.

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