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I Palestinians di Gaza e della Occupied West Bank hanno partecipato alle elezioni comunali, la prima volta per Gaza dopo quasi due decenni senza. È stata anche la prima votazione per la Cisgiordania, dall’inizio della guerra genocida di Israel against Gaza.
Questo passo fondamentale arriva in un momento particolarmente delicato, mentre Gaza cerca di ricostruirsi dopo il ceasefire e la Cisgiordania si trova ad affrontare un futuro sempre più incerto e instabile.
Le votazioni si sono svolte nella Striscia di Gaza centrale, con Deir al-Balah scelta come sede elettorale in quanto una delle poche aree non gravemente danneggiate durante la guerra. Sabato 25 aprile 2026, circa 70.000 aventi diritto hanno espresso il proprio voto a Deir al-Balah, mentre circa un milione di elettori ha partecipato in tutta la Cisgiordania.
In Cisgiordania, la maggior parte dei voti elettorali è sostenuta dal movimento Fatah del presidente Mahmmoud Abbas o da partiti individuali. Non vi è stata alcuna partecipazione ufficiale del movimento Hamas; l’ultima volta che ha partecipato ufficialmente è stato nel 2006, quasi due decenni fa.
For many years, elections to choose Palestinian representatives have been postponed or cancelled; in 2006 Hamas beat Fatah and the faction led by President Abbas. This time in Gaza and the West Bank the situation is clearer and more serious: voters must meet the following requirements before going to the polls: be a Palestinian citizen, be at least 17 years old, have resided in the local registration authority for at least six months prior to the elections, and have full legal capacity.
Why are local elections important
Palestinian citizens will vote to elect representatives for municipal councils for a four-year term. Municipal councils are responsible for managing daily services in areas such as water, electricity, sanitation, and local infrastructure. These are very important aspects for the citizens of the West Bank, but even more so for Palestinians in Gaza, as they live in a war situation, despite the so-called ceasefire, which has not brought about any real change on the ground.
Beyond their administrative role, local elections also have a significance Politician. They reflect the Palestinians' desire to have a say in shaping their future and to assert their right to choose their representatives. While they cannot resolve the broader political challenges nor end the ongoing crisis, they remain a significant expression in difficult circumstances.
“I hope we will start to see changes on the ground,” Mohussian Abu Saqar told me as he walked to vote in the Deir al-Balah elections, on foot due to the lack of adequate transport in Gaza. “Perhaps it is too late to hold elections when so many people in Gaza have been killed, but we shall see,” he added.
Seguendo le diverse opinioni su queste elezioni locali dall’Italy, Where am I now, I see that many people in Gaza are totally disappointed by the delay in taking this step, while others cling to the hope of having more opportunities to vote and decide on their representatives. Those who show cautious optimism see local elections as an opportunity to rebuild damaged infrastructure, roads and public spaces, and to improve living conditions. Reportedly, many voters reached the polling stations on foot or using improvised transport, motivated by the possibility of shaping a better future.It is also for this reason that only about 16,000 people out of the 70,000 eligible to vote actually voted, ed.).
La commissione elettorale ha dichiarato che l’obiettivo è quello di collegare politicamente Gaza e la Cisgiordania in un unico sistema di governo. L’European Union ha descritto il voto come un “passo cruciale verso una più ampia democratizzazione e un rafforzamento della governance locale”.
Several Arab countries have also expressed their support for this vision. The United Nations has described the process as «credible». «For many Palestinians, this vote represents more than an election, it is seen as an act of political existence,» reported the’UN.
Many agree on this fundamental aspect: many, except for Israel.
A Deir al-Balah erano in lizza diverse liste elettorali, tra cui “Pace e Costruzione”, “Deir al-Balah ci unisce”, “Il futuro di Deir al-Balah” e “Rinascita di Deir al-Balah” (In the end, the Fatah list won 8 out of 15 seats, thus winning by a very narrow margin; Hamas did not participate directly in the elections, editor's noteEach list comprised around 15 candidates, with a minimum representation of women in accordance with local electoral requirements.
At the same time, these elections faced logistical challenges, as Israel denied entry to electoral materials such as indelible ink, necessary to allow voters to cast their ballots properly. Despite this shortfall, Palestinians in Gaza found a solution to this problem and used ink used for vaccinations instead; a clear message, we will not let anyone prevent us from choosing our representatives and how to live our lives.
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PHOTO CREDITS: ANSAALI ALI DEF – An elderly woman shows her ink-stained finger after casting her vote in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, in the early hours of Wednesday, 25 January 2006, in the Al Shatea refugee camp in Gaza City.