Deir el-Balah’s municipal building was struck in December, killing then-mayor Diab al-Jarou and 10 municipal staff — yet residents went to the polls on April 25 in Gaza’s first municipal election in more than two decades. The vote, the Palestinian Central Elections Commission says, is a pilot and the only Gaza municipality participating; it is meant to reconnect local governance and test whether elected councils can begin rebuilding basic services after last year’s offensive.

A cautious return to ballots The Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) chose Deir el-Balah as a starting point because it suffered less infrastructure damage than other parts of the Gaza Strip, officials said. Jamil al-Khalidi, the CEC’s regional director, described the April 25 vote as part of a broader process that will also cover some 420 local councils in the occupied West Bank. For many residents the ballot carried practical hopes more than political symbolism. The Strip had been governed through administrative appointments for 21 years, with local services often managed by municipal staff rather than elected representatives. The cycle halted altogether in Gaza when armed conflict intensified, and municipal buildings and staffing were disrupted. There are still visible reminders of the violence. In December 2024, Israeli forces struck Deir el-Balah’s municipal building, killing then-mayor Diab al-Jarou and 10 municipal staff while they were at work. That loss left a gap in local administration that residents and civil society groups have struggled to fill. Organisers set up voting at 12 electoral centres in venues such as local stadiums, women’s activity centres and former clinics. Each centre was prepared with eight polling stations, CEC officials said, and a toll-free hotline was launched so residents could check their registration status before voting. How the ballot is structured - System: Closed-list electoral system. - List requirements: Each list must present at least 15 candidates and include a minimum of four women. - Voting process: Voters choose one list from four contesting groups, then cast preference votes for up to five specific candidates within that list. - Council formation: The 15 candidates with the most preference votes form the new municipal council, with the composition adjusted to meet mandated female representation. The design aims to combine list-led organisation with voter choice at the candidate level. Who ran and what they promised Campaigning focused on practical services: - Platforms emphasised restoring water and electricity, reopening schools and clinics, rebuilding municipal capacity for waste removal and permits. - Candidates presented themselves as managers with local ties and expertise rather than under formal party banners; many highlighted clan and professional networks for mobilising support. - Formal parties such as Hamas and Fatah did not appear on the ballot under official names; contestants ran on locally organised lists. The four groups in Deir el-Balah were Peace and Construction; Deir el-Balah Brings Us Together; Future of Deir el-Balah; and Renaissance of Deir el-Balah. Observers said the absence of formal party branding makes the vote harder to read as an indicator of national political trends. Instead, it may reveal local power balances and who residents trust to reopen essential services amid a slow recovery process.

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The Palestinian Central Elections Commission said about 70,000 eligible voters in Deir el-Balah were able to cast ballots between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on April 25.

This article was created with AI assistance.