Palestinian municipal elections saw victories for President Mahmoud Abbas’s loyalists, marking the first time in nearly two decades that a city in Hamas-controlled Gaza participated in the vote. The elections, held amid challenging circumstances, are seen as a step towards strengthening democratic processes and potential unity.

Election Results and Significance

Loyalists of President Mahmoud Abbas achieved significant victories in Palestinian municipal elections, according to election officials on Sunday. This election holds particular importance as it marks the first time in nearly two decades that a city within the Gaza Strip, currently administered by Hamas, has participated in the voting process.

First Vote Since Conflict Began

Saturday’s elections represent the first of any kind in Gaza since 2006 and the first Palestinian polls since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began over two years ago with the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The inclusion of Deir al-Balah, a Gaza city that experienced comparatively less damage during the war, was a deliberate move by Abbas’s West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA) to underscore Gaza’s integral role in a future Palestinian state.

Challenges and Voter Sentiment

The elections, characterized by low voter turnout, were conducted ‘at a highly sensitive moment amid complex challenges and exceptional circumstances,’ as stated by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa upon the announcement of the results. However, he emphasized that these elections constitute ‘an important first step in a broader national process aimed at strengthening democratic life... and ultimately achieving the unity of the homeland.’

Hope for Change in Deir al-Balah

Residents of Deir al-Balah expressed hope that these municipal elections will initiate a series of changes. Shafika Rabah, 26, highlighted the elections’ potential, stating, ‘It has a very important role for us and it has started in the municipality. Hopefully it will grow and we will be able to choose more things than the municipality and the situation will improve for us.’ Mahmoud Al-Bahishi, 52, echoed this sentiment, hoping the results will lead to ‘change in the situation we are living in.’ He added, ‘Every time we support the people, the candidates, who will succeed, they will help us, God willing, and they will stand with us and fulfill our demands in the city of Deir el-Balah.’

Participation and Boycotts

Hamas, having ousted the PA from Gaza in 2007, did not formally present candidates in Gaza and abstained from the race in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Fatah’s victory was widely anticipated. The Palestinian National Initiative also boycotted the vote, citing a lack of genuine ‘democratic competition.’ Mustafa Barghouti, the party’s leader, explained that the PA imposed a specific political program on candidates, which alienated groups like theirs.

Results in Deir al-Balah

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and central Gaza participated in the municipal elections on Saturday. While Hamas did not officially participate, some candidates on a Deir al-Balah list were perceived as aligned with the movement. Preliminary results indicated that the list, ‘Deir al-Balah Brings Us Together,’ secured only two of the 15 contested seats in Gaza. The ‘Nahdat Deir al-Balah’ list, supported by Abbas’s Fatah party and the Western-backed PA, won six seats, with the remaining seats distributed among ‘Future of Deir al-Balah’ and ‘Peace and Building,’ groups not affiliated with either faction.

Fatah spokesperson Abdul Fattah Dawla noted the turnout was comparable to the 2022 West Bank municipal elections, praising voters for their participation despite ongoing Israeli violence. Palestinian political analyst Reham Ouda suggested that by electing Fatah-linked figures, voters are seeking international support for municipal governance and a broader political shift.