DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip – Palestinians in one of the only Gaza cities not overrun by Israeli ground forces during the military conflict will vote this weekend in municipal elections that will feature some pro-Hamas candidates, offering a rare barometer of the group’s popularity. The vote in Deir al-Balah is part of Palestinian Authority (PA) municipal elections that Palestinians have cast as a display of national unity against a United States plan for Gaza that they believe intends to entrench their separation from the occupied West Bank.
It will be Gaza’s first vote of any kind since 2006, when Hamas won the PA’s legislative elections and later seized control of Gaza following a brief civil war with PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party, dominant in the West Bank.
A Symbolic Effort
The polls will be the fifth municipal elections in the West Bank since 2005. In January, the PA said it would extend those elections to Gaza “wherever possible”, a move analysts see as a symbolic effort to show Gaza remains part of a future Palestinian state.
‘Change the Reality Imposed on Us’
For Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, including Adham Al-Bardini, the vote on Saturday marks an opportunity for political expression after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, that sparked Israel’s devastating two-year assault on Gaza.
“For the first time in my life, in 20 years, I will have this feeling. I have been hearing about elections since I was born, but because of the circumstances, no elections have been held,” said Al-Bardini, 34. “We are eager to take part so we can change the reality imposed on us.”
Election Preparations
In Deir al-Balah, large banners bearing the logos of rival candidate lists decorate the streets. Voting will be held in 12 polling centres, including open fields and tents. Fareed Taamallah, spokesman for the PA Central Elections Commission, said roughly 70,000 Palestinians were eligible to vote in Deir al-Balah, a city he said was chosen because it suffered less damage than the rest of the largely ruined territory.
Pro-Hamas Candidates
Four lists are fielding candidates in the election, including one that has several candidates who residents and analysts regard as pro-Hamas. Hamas has not explicitly fielded a list or endorsed any candidate, citing disagreements with Abbas over a PA decree that requires candidates to accept terms, including recognition of Israel. Other factions are also boycotting the vote, meaning Fatah is expected to sweep larger city councils in the West Bank.
But despite its official boycott of the vote, Hamas “may be betting on winning in this election” and could use pro-Hamas candidates’ performance to gauge its popularity, said Hani Al-Masri, a West Bank political analyst.
Hamas Will Secure Voting Sites
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the group would respect the election results. Sources in the group told Reuters that it will deploy police and security forces to secure voting sites. Hamas reasserted control of Deir al-Balah and other areas in a stretch of Gaza’s coast from which Israeli forces withdrew under an October 2025 ceasefire. Israel retains control of more than 53% of Gaza.
Polling Data
Some public opinion polling shows Hamas remains popular in Gaza and the West Bank, despite the devastation wrought by the conflict. In Gaza, an October 2025 poll by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research found that 41% of Palestinians there support Hamas, followed by 29% for Fatah.
‘A Symbolic Step’
The vote comes as US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” pushes a plan for Gaza’s future that would see the territory rebuilt from scratch under the administration of an apolitical committee of Palestinian technocrats. The plan calls on Hamas to hand over Gaza governance to the committee as it lays down its weapons and Israeli forces withdraw from the Strip. Hamas has so far rejected disarmament, accusing Israel of failing to abide by the October ceasefire.
The plan notably does not mention the West Bank, which, along with the Gaza Strip, Palestinians have long sought for a future state, and where the PA exercises limited self-rule.
Palestinian political analyst Reham Owda said the municipal elections were “a symbolic step to send a message to the world, to the Board of Peace, and to Israel that the Gaza Strip is an inseparable part of the Palestinian political system.”
Hope for Rebuilding
For 25-year-old Abdul-Rahman Al-Shaaf, the vote, even at the local level, offers an opportunity to rebuild lives after conflict. “Everyone wants to improve the country, especially after two years of war, what we witnessed, and the destruction,” he said.
Analysis: A Rare Political Moment
Saturday’s municipal election in Deir al-Balah is a rare political moment in Gaza. It will be the first vote of any kind in the territory since 2006 — a span of 20 years. For a generation of Palestinians who have only known war, blockade, and Hamas rule, the opportunity to vote is significant.
The presence of pro-Hamas candidates, even without an official party list, will offer a gauge of the group’s popularity after two years of devastating war. The October 2025 poll showing 41% support for Hamas suggests that the group retains significant backing, despite — or perhaps because of — the destruction.
The PA’s decision to extend municipal elections to Gaza, even in a limited way, is a symbolic effort to assert that Gaza remains part of a future Palestinian state. The Board of Peace’s plan, which excludes the West Bank, is seen as an attempt to separate the two territories.
For the residents of Deir al-Balah, the vote is not just about local governance. It is about national identity, political expression, and hope for rebuilding.
