Palestinians in the West Bank and a central area of Gaza will participate in municipal elections, the first vote since the Gaza war. The elections are taking place in the West Bank and in the Deir el-Balah area of Gaza. Voter turnout is expected to be low, with many expressing disillusionment. Most electoral lists are aligned with Fatah or running as independents. There are no lists affiliated with Hamas in the West Bank. In most cities, Fatah-backed tickets will run against independent lists. Polling stations in the West Bank will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, while in Deir al-Balah, polls will close at 5:00 pm. The UN coordinator commended the commission for organizing a “credible process”. The election commission has recruited polling staff and hired a private security company for the Gaza vote. The election commission says it has recruited polling staff from civil society organisations and hired “a private security company to secure polling centres” for the Gaza vote