Gaza’s Deir al-Balah set for first municipal elections in 22 years

The city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip is set to hold municipal elections on Saturday, marking the first such vote in 22 years.

Jamil al-Khaldi, regional director of the Central Elections Commission in Gaza, said they were fully prepared to conduct the vote.

The commission is fully prepared to receive voters on election day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time (0400-1400 GMT), al-Khaldi told Anadolu.

The election will be held across 12 polling centers with 100 polling stations distributed throughout the city to ensure easy access for voters, he said.

Deir al-Balah was selected for the vote, as it is relatively less damaged than other parts of Gaza, despite the Israeli genocide since October 2023.

The war has killed about 72,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 172,000, while destroying around 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure, according to official figures.

Al-Khaldi said the ballot will include four competing electoral lists, with voters required to choose one list and then select up to five candidates within it.

He called on residents to participate widely, saying “high turnout enhances the credibility of the results,” expressing hope that the elections will proceed peacefully.

He noted that the commission overcame several logistical and security challenges, particularly the shortage of suitable buildings for polling centers.

Nine of the 12 polling locations will be set up on open land and be equipped with tents to serve as temporary polling stations, he added.

"These tents were provided in cooperation with the UN Development Programme (UNDP)," he said.

Palestinian police to guard polling centers

On security, al-Khaldi said responsibility for securing the vote rests entirely with Palestinian police in Deir al-Balah, who will protect polling centers and oversee the transport of ballot boxes.

He added that other authorities will play only logistical roles, stressing the importance of avoiding direct security intervention to ensure a smooth process.

As part of preparations, al-Khaldi said the commission conducted a wide public awareness campaign, including digital outreach and field teams distributed informational material and explained the voting procedures.

He added that “mobile loudspeaker vehicles” will circulate on election silence day to encourage voter participation.

Al-Khaldi said all arrangements have been completed “to the fullest extent,” expressing hope the vote will mark a step toward restoring local democratic life in Gaza.

There are 445 local authorities in Palestine, including 420 in the West Bank and 25 in Gaza, comprising 161 municipal councils and 284 local councils.

On Nov. 3, 2025, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that the Ministry of Local Government decided to convert municipal councils into caretaker bodies starting Dec. 11, 2025, until elections are held after their four-year terms expire.

Local elections were last held in the West Bank in 2021 in two phases, while the Cabinet postponed elections in Gaza, citing political divisions and disputes with Hamas.

The Palestinian political arena has been divided since 2007, with Hamas governing Gaza and the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas and run by Fatah, administering the West Bank.

Repeated reconciliation talks between Palestinian groups over the years have failed to produce concrete steps toward ending the division.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul