Fatah posts decisive win in Palestinian local elections

The Palestinian Central Elections Commission on Sunday announced final results from local elections held in 183 municipalities across the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip city of Deir al-Balah, with President Mahmoud Abbas-led Fatah movement securing a strong showing.

Commission chairman Rami Hamdallah said at a news conference in al-Bireh that the vote took place under "extremely complex" conditions but was conducted with "integrity and transparency."

He said the inclusion of Deir al-Balah reflected efforts to treat the West Bank and Gaza as a single geographic unit, despite major obstacles.

Hamas, which ousted the Palestinian Authority (PA) from Gaza in 2007, did not formally nominate candidates in Gaza and boycotted the race in the West Bank.

But some candidates on one of the Deir al-Balah lists were widely seen by ​residents and analysts as aligned with the movement, making the vote a potential indicator of support for the Islamist group.

Preliminary results showed that the list, ‌known as ⁠Deir al‑Balah Brings Us Together, won only two of the 15 seats contested in Gaza.

The Nahdat Deir al‑Balah list, backed by Abbas' Fatah party and the Western-backed PA, secured six seats. The remaining seats were won by two other Gaza-based groups, Future of Deir al‑Balah and Peace and Building, not affiliated with either faction.

Abbas-aligned candidates swept the election in the West Bank, running unchallenged in many seats.

Hamdallah said Israeli authorities refused to allow election materials into Deir al-Balah, forcing local officials to produce ballots and boxes locally so voting could go ahead.

About 522,000 people voted out of roughly 1.03 million eligible voters, the commission said.

Turnout was 56 percent in the West Bank and 23 percent in Deir al-Balah. Hamdallah cited outdated voter records in Gaza and the impact of the ongoing conflict, including deaths and displacement, for the low participation there.

It was the first local vote in Gaza in nearly 20 years.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the elections underscored the need to renew Palestinian political institutions and called for long-delayed legislative and presidential elections.

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters)