Shafaq News- Gaza/ West Bank

Palestinians voted on Saturday in the first local municipal elections in nearly two decades, with polling stations opening in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and al-Bireh in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission said around 1.03 million eligible voters were called to elect representatives to 183 local councils across 491 polling centers and 1,922 stations, with voting scheduled to continue until 7:00 p.m. local time.

In Deir al-Balah, 12 polling centers were set up near residential areas to facilitate participation, with four electoral lists competing, each fielding 15 candidates including women. The number of eligible voters there is estimated at around 70,000.

The vote covers 90 municipal councils contested by 321 lists comprising 3,773 candidates, alongside 93 village councils with 1,358 candidates running for seats.

These are the first such elections since 2006, held under complex conditions in Gaza, including the destruction of Deir al-Balah’s municipal building in an Israeli airstrike in late 2024 that killed the mayor and several council members.

The elections are being conducted under the 2025 law, using proportional representation for municipal councils and a majority system for village councils, with vote counting taking place inside polling stations in the presence of observers and list agents.

The elections commission is expected to release turnout figures periodically, with final results due on Sunday and a one-week window allowed for appeals following their announcement.