Gaza City Mayor Yahya al-Sarraj has proposed holding local elections in the Gaza Governorate under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority. He made the proposal in a letter to Palestinian Local Government Minister Sami Hadjawi, Asharq al-Awsat reported.
In the letter, al-Sarraj stated that Gaza’s municipal council was ready to cooperate and coordinate its actions with the Ministry of Local Government and the relevant authorities. The idea is for the elections to give residents the opportunity to choose their representatives and to renew the legitimacy of local institutions.
Hamas does not reject the proposal
According to two Hamas sources cited by Asharq al-Awsat, the movement does not object to holding local or other elections if this could change the current situation and protect the interests of the population. One of the sources said that the mayor’s initiative had been discussed with representatives of the movement, but had not been made at its official direction.
This means that, for now, the proposal does not represent a formal decision by Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. No timetable, procedure or date has been announced for elections in the Gaza Governorate, nor has there been any report of an official response from Minister Sami Hadjawi.
Deir al-Balah held the first vote in the Strip
The initiative comes several months after local elections in Deir al-Balah. On April 25, 2026, the city was the only locality in the Gaza Strip included in the elections, held simultaneously with the local vote in parts of the West Bank. Around 70,000 people were eligible to vote. The Palestinian Central Election Commission described the vote as part of a broader process to restore local institutions.
According to Asharq al-Awsat, the mayor’s proposal also comes against the backdrop of severe flooding in the Gaza Strip in recent days. The flooding has affected thousands of tents belonging to displaced people and limited municipalities’ ability to respond amid resource shortages.
A source familiar with humanitarian and development work in Gaza told the media outlet that the local government minister was in contact with mayors in the Strip. For now, however, there is no confirmed decision to expand local elections beyond Deir al-Balah.
Sources: aawsat.com, apnews.com