Abbas’ loyalists win Palestine local elections, including in Gaza

Loyalists of President Mahmoud Abbas won most races in Palestinian municipal elections, officials said on Sunday, in a vote that included a Gaza Strip city for the first time in nearly two decades.

The ballot, held on Saturday, marked the first elections of any kind in Gaza since 2006 and the first Palestinian vote since the war in Gaza began more than two years ago following Hamas’ cross-border attack on southern Israel.

The Palestinian Authority said the inclusion of the city of Deir al-Balah, which sustained less damage during the conflict than other parts of Gaza, was intended to demonstrate that the enclave remains part of a future Palestinian state.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said the elections were held “at a highly sensitive moment amid complex challenges and exceptional circumstances”, but described them as “an important first step in a broader national process aimed at strengthening democratic life and ultimately achieving the unity of the homeland”.

Hamas did not formally field candidates in Gaza and boycotted the vote in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Abbas’ Fatah movement was widely expected to dominate. However, some candidates in Deir al-Balah were seen as aligned with Hamas, making the outcome a potential indicator of support for the group.

Preliminary results showed that a list associated with such candidates secured two of the 15 seats in Deir al-Balah. A list backed by Fatah won six seats, while the remaining positions were taken by two other local groups not affiliated with either faction.

In the West Bank, candidates aligned with Abbas won overwhelmingly, in many cases running unopposed.

Turnout remained low, particularly in Gaza where it reached 23 per cent, compared with 56 per cent in the West Bank, according to Central Elections Commission chairman Rami al-Hamdallah.

He said logistical difficulties affected the process, with some ballot boxes and equipment delayed due to Israeli security restrictions, although voting ultimately proceeded.

Analysts said the results suggested voters may be favouring candidates linked to Fatah in the hope of securing broader international support for local governance.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the outcome would not affect wider political dynamics, describing the elections as having no impact on national-level issues.

Large parts of Gaza remain heavily damaged following the conflict, with many residents displaced and focused on basic needs, while Israeli strikes have continued despite a ceasefire agreed in October.