Palestinians hold first local elections in Gaza in two decades
Residents in the West Bank and the Gazan city of Deir al-Balah participated in local council elections, the first such vote in Gaza since 2006. The Palestinian Authority-led vote is considered a 'pilot' for future governance in Gaza under a transition plan. While Hamas boycotted the official process, it deployed civil police to secure polling stations. Nearly one million voters were eligible in total, though many major West Bank municipalities saw no voting due to a lack of competing political slates.