Palestinian officials hail local elections in a Gaza community and the West Bank

A Palestinian man votes in local elections, the first in two decades in Gaza and the first in the occupied West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Al-Ubaidiya, West Bank, Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Palestinian officials say local elections in Gaza and the West Bank mark a step toward a long-delayed presidential election. The Palestinian Authority hasn’t held a presidential election in 21 years.

(Image credit: Mahmoud Illean)