Palestinians vote in Gaza's first elections in over 20 years

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians lined up outside polls in tents and donated buildings to vote in the first elections held in part of Gaza in more than two decades. More than 70,000 people are eligible to vote for municipal government in Deir al-Balah, a central Gaza city that has been damaged by airstrikes but was spared an Israeli ground invasion. The single-city vote is a largely symbolic "pilot," election officials say, part of an effort to politically link Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Voters spoke about the near-total absence of public services and said the devastation in Gaza compelled them to participate. "I came to vote because I have a right to elect members to municipal council so they can provide us with services," Ashraf Abu Dan said outside his Deir al-Balah polling place.

Turnout may reflect the level of public trust in a broader system led by aging leaders in the West Bank as Gaza prepares for an anticipated transition from Hamas rule. Some polling places in the West Bank and central Gaza's Deir al-Balah were busy, though others were more empty. Election officials reported 24.5% turnout as of 1 p.m. Voters who turned out said they wanted a say over decision-making in their cities. "Municipal laws need to be enforced so people feel there's justice," Khalid al-Qawasmeh, a voter in the West Bank city of Beitunia, said outside his polling place.

Though it has not held presidential or legislative elections since 2006, the Palestinian Authority promoted the local races after reforms it enacted last year in response to demands from international backers. Rami Hamdallah, the commission's chairman, stated, "We're talking about geographically linking the West Bank and Gaza Strip." With Gaza mostly decimated after more than two years of war, the commission chose to hold its first vote in Deir al-Balah but had to improvise because it was unable to conduct traditional voter registration.

The commission said it did not coordinate directly with either Israel or Hamas ahead of the vote. COGAT, the Israeli military body that oversees humanitarian affairs in Gaza, did not respond to questions about blocking materials. The Palestinian Authority's power has withered amid years without peace negotiations and Israel tightening its grip on the occupied West Bank. However, it sees local elections as a low-risk way to demonstrate progress on reforms, said Aref Jaffal, director of the al-Marsad Arab World Democracy and Electoral Monitor.

The PA wants to show it is on the right track on political, financial and administrative reforms, and is using local elections as a symbol of that. Deir al-Balah will be Gaza's first election since Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 and violently seized control of Gaza from the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority a year later.

Power Read: The Palestinian Authority (PA) seeks to regain legitimacy through these elections, presenting itself as a reformist entity amid a backdrop of disillusionment and stagnation. The absence of Hamas candidates indicates a strategic shift, potentially allowing the PA to consolidate power in Gaza, while Hamas remains sidelined. This election could serve as a litmus test for the PA's ability to govern effectively and respond to local needs, which may influence future governance structures in the region.

What to watch: The upcoming local council appointments in cities without contested races will reveal how the PA navigates its authority amid ongoing challenges.