Palestinian officials hail local elections in a Gaza community and the West Bank : NPR

JERUSALEM — On Sunday, Palestinian officials declared that local elections in a Gaza community and the Israeli-occupied West Bank were successful, viewing them as a precursor to the long-awaited presidential election and future statehood.

The Palestinian Authority, which governs semiautonomous areas of the West Bank but is excluded from the U.S.-drafted Gaza ceasefire plan, described the local election in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, as a symbolic trial as it aims to politically unify the territories.

This marked the first election in Hamas-governed Gaza in over 20 years. Deir al-Balah, though heavily affected by two years of conflict, avoided an Israeli ground invasion. Voter turnout was 23%, with officials attributing challenges to large-scale displacement and outdated civil registry records.

Hamas, which oversees the portion of Gaza from which Israel withdrew last year under the current ceasefire, did not participate in the elections or obstruct the voting process.

In the West Bank, voter turnout reached 56%, surpassing a half-million participants, consistent with previous elections there.

Several races were uncontested, and candidates had to endorse the Palestine Liberation Organization’s program, which heads the Palestinian Authority. This program includes recognizing Israel and rejecting armed struggle, effectively sidelining Hamas and other factions.

As a result, election outcomes favored independents and Fatah, the faction leading the authority, which claimed victory.

Rami Hamdallah, chair of the Central Election Commission in Ramallah and a former prime minister, addressed journalists, saying, “Everyone is aware of the political, security, and economic conditions, the fragmentation of Palestinian territory, the war on Gaza, and the regional conflict in Iran.”

“Simply holding the elections in Deir al-Balah is a significant achievement, and we hope to hold elections in other bodies across the Gaza Strip in the near future,” he commented.

The elections in both regions were for local councils responsible for managing water, roads, and electricity.

These were the first elections to occur since reforms were initiated in response to international pressure, allowing for individual rather than slate voting. As trust in political parties waned, families and clans became more influential in campaigning.

Hamdallah viewed the vote as a demonstration of national unity, expressing the hope that “presidential and legislative elections will follow.”

However, the Palestinian Authority has not conducted a presidential election in 21 years, and both it and President Mahmoud Abbas have seen dwindling support due to years of corruption and frustration over violent Jewish settler expansions in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Authority is recognized internationally as the representative of the Palestinian people. It was expelled from Gaza after Hamas’s parliamentary election victory in 2006, which led to a violent takeover. Abbas, now 90, was elected to a four-year term in 2005, and the authority has not held presidential or legislative elections since 2006.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa described Saturday’s elections as “another step on the path to full independence.” Meanwhile, Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Many Palestinians desire more than local elections, seeking a greater role in shaping their future.

“Municipal elections are an important step, but they are not enough. … We want general elections,” Bashar Masri, a notable Palestinian-American business owner, expressed on social media.