Palestinians Vote in First Elections Including Gaza Since 2007

Local elections in Deir al-Balah serve as a political test for the Palestinian Authority’s return to the Gaza Strip amid Donald Trump’s ongoing regional peace plan. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied A Palestinian womman registers before casting her ballot at a polling station during municipal elections in the village of Beit Furik, southeast of the Israel-occupied West Bank city of Nablus on April 25, 2026. (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Palestinians began voting in local elections on Saturday, April 25, marking the first time in nearly two decades that the process has included the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized control in 2007, Reuters reported. The vote is currently limited to the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where voter turnout has been reported as active. The Palestinian Authority (PA), based in the West Bank, views the inclusion of the city as a symbolic step toward re-establishing its governance over the territory. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Western diplomats and regional governments, including European and Arab states, have expressed support for the PA’s return to Gaza as part of a broader path toward national elections and a future independent Palestinian state. According to preliminary data, more than one million Palestinians are eligible to participate in the local elections across the territories, with approximately 70,000 registered voters in Gaza. The process is being monitored as a test for transparency and accountability reforms recently initiated by the PA. This electoral milestone occurs within the framework of a broader regional transition. Last October, US President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas constituted the “first phase” of a US-led peace plan . Trump has since signaled the start of a “second phase” focused on the demilitarization of Gaza, though experts remain skeptical about its implementation. Other Topics of Interest Trump Says Iran Preparing Proposal to Meet US Demands The US president confirmed that Tehran is drafting a deal as special envoys arrive in Pakistan for high-level talks, though the naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain in force. As the US maintains intense pressure in the region – including the ongoing naval blockade and high-level talks currently taking place in Pakistan – the success of these local elections could serve as a critical indicator for the stability of Trump’s multi-phase diplomatic strategy in the Middle East. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.