Palestinians are participating in municipal elections for the first time in 20 years, with voting taking place in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza's Deir el-Balah area. Nearly 1.5 million individuals are registered to vote in the West Bank, while 70,000 are registered in Gaza. The elections are characterized by a lack of options, primarily featuring candidates aligned with President Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party, and no lists from Hamas, which governs a significant portion of Gaza. In some areas, such as Nablus and Ramallah, only one electoral list has been submitted, leading to automatic victories without voting. Abbas, who has been in power for over 20 years without re-election, continues to promise future elections that have not materialized. UN coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov praised the electoral process as a vital opportunity for Palestinians to express their democratic rights during challenging times. Despite the limited scope of these elections, some voters, like Farah Shaath, view participation as a confirmation of their existence in Gaza.