Palestinians ready to hold municipal elections in Gaza: elections commission 

The Palestinian coastal enclave is ready to hold general municipal elections as soon as possible, according to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission (PCEC). 

In a press statement shared with the press on Wednesday, 16 August, the PCEC said, "We have prepared all the measures of holding the municipal elections in Gaza in a bid to allow locals to choose their representatives in the municipalities in Gaza that would help them improve their daily services." 

According to the statement, the commission is ready to hold elections if the Palestinian cabinet issues a decision specifying a date for it. 

Officially, the Palestinian cabinet in Ramallah has a legal mandate to call for holding it per the elections law. At the same time, Hamas in Gaza can decide whether the elections will be held, as it has been the "defacto" power in the territory since 2007. 

Since 2007, Hamas, the Islamist movement, has prevented several attempts to hold an election, sparking anger by Palestinian voters in Gaza for being denied the right to vote in local elections, which has taken place regularly in the occupied West Bank. 

However, Hamas officials recently confirmed that their movement is ready to participate in the upcoming municipal elections once Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decides to further reconciliation efforts.

During a workshop for representatives of Palestinian factions held in Gaza on Monday, Suhail al-Hindi, a senior Hamas official, stressed that the municipal elections are an urgent necessity for change in institutions and services in light of the difficult circumstances in the besieged Gaza Strip. 

He said his movement is committed to ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections, adding, "We will respect the results of the elections and will support whoever wins and extend a helping hand to him."