Deir al-Balah, Gaza – Early this morning, Salama Badwan, his wife and daughter went to a polling station in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, to take part in municipal elections, which are being held for the first time since 2006.
The 43-year-old man said he was happy to cast his vote after such a long absence, and he was also happy that his daughter, who recently turned 18, could vote for the first time in her life.
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This is the first vote since a “ceasefire” took effect in Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The war has affected all aspects of life, including the electoral process. Due to many buildings in Deir al-Balah being damaged or destroyed during the war, polling stations have been set up in temporary fiberglass tents on open land.
Badwan told Al Jazeera, “I am very happy today, because it is truly a Palestinian democratic celebration. For more than 21 years, many generations have been deprived of this and today my daughter is voting for the first time.”
For them, the importance of the elections is to provide Palestinians in Gaza a chance to achieve change through peaceful and democratic means.
“We must change everything through the ballot box… Whoever wins, it is their right, but not through inheritance… Change must be in the hands of the people.”
But despite this enthusiasm, the reality remains complex amid the ongoing “cease-fire” in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
The city, which Badwan describes as “always quiet”, has become a refuge for thousands of displaced people from across Gaza, putting unprecedented pressure on its infrastructure.
“The city was flooded with large numbers of displaced people, each with different ideas, circumstances and harsh suffering… This created huge pressure on the water network, sewage system and waste management and exhausted the previous municipality.”
Deir al-Balah was given the opportunity to hold elections because its infrastructure was less damaged than other cities in Gaza during the war.
Badwan is pinning his hopes on a new municipal council that will be able to handle the scale of the crisis caused by the war, and will move away from the political divisions prevailing in the Gaza Strip between the two main rival factions, Hamas and Fatah.
“We want a very strong municipal team that does not belong to any faction… that can receive support from donor countries and meet the needs of the people, because today Deir al-Balah is hosting everyone.”
Despite general frustration towards the political class, on the street he describes the election atmosphere as “positive and pleasant”.
“People are fed up with politicians and unfulfilled promises,” he says, adding that he encouraged people around him to participate in the elections in the hope of change.
“I told my friends and children that we should go and vote… We can’t just sit at home and wait for change.”
‘I finally found my voice’
Salama’s 18-year-old daughter Duniya, standing with her father, did not hide her joy at casting her vote despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding her.
“I am very happy that I can vote in my country and in my city, Deir al-Balah… and that I, like others of my generation, can finally participate and raise my voice,” said Dounia, a first-year nursing student at Al-Aqsa University.
He said, “To be honest, I had never voted before and I had no clear idea… But when the elections came, my father explained how things work and how our voices can help change the difficult reality we live in.”
Like many of her peers, Dounia’s motivations are practical and directly connected to daily life, which has become increasingly impoverished since Israel began the war in October 2023. She chose a list of candidates that was mostly young people, and described them as “competent and experienced in their work”, reflecting her hope for a more efficient municipal administration.
“The reality the city is living in after displacement is not stable… The situation is sad, especially sanitation, public roads, healthcare and even education… everything is in a very bad state.”
“I hope these elections will help create a situation where students return to schools, and new housing options and camps will be provided for displaced people instead of using schools,” he said.
She says, “We want things to go back to the way they were… schools should have students back instead of becoming shelters, hospitals should be improved and roads should be cleaned.”
a long delayed moment
For 73-year-old Awda Abdel Karim Abu Baraka, the elections are an opportunity to choose those capable of “reviving society and institutions that have been stagnant for years.”
He believes that local elections can take on broader significance beyond Deir al-Balah. “They are part of a larger system…the West Bank and Gaza,” he explains.
He added, “The holding of elections today in Deir al-Balah shows the world that we are a democratic people, and we elect our representatives without imposition.” He expressed hope that “the international community will support this path.”
He also stressed the need for the winners of the vote to respect the city’s residents who have suffered because of Israel’s war over the years. “There must be real events, not big slogans that fall into place later…Civilians must be respected, and their dignity and humanity – violated by war – must be restored.”
Despite recognizing the scale of the challenges, he is committed to gradual change. “We know the challenges are big and change takes time… A long journey begins with a step, and hopefully, this is the first step on the path.”
‘born from nothing’
Meanwhile, Mohammed Abu Nada, coordinator of the Deir al-Balah electoral district, walked among voters and staff inside tents set up in place of school polling stations, and described an electoral process that was “born from nothing”.
He remembers welcoming the preliminary announcement of elections in the West Bank by the Central Election Commission with surprise and a sense of responsibility.
“At first, the news was unexpected… there was joy that we were returning to work after two and a half years of suffering under the war, but at the same time, the sense of responsibility was also strong.”
This sentiment immediately collided with the complex logical reality in a city suffering from massive destruction and severe lack of resources.
He says, “Capacities are extremely limited… even this place was just empty land. We were relying on tents of international organizations to use as polling stations.” He said most of the schools have been converted into shelters for displaced people.
Despite these challenges, polling stations were set up across the city, a task he describes as far from easy.
The difficulties did not stop here. Essential election materials normally brought from Ramallah were blocked from entering Gaza.
Abu Nada explains the challenges of securing logistical items such as ballot boxes, tickets, papers and campaign materials.
“We had to rely on our local capabilities… The ballot boxes were designed and manufactured here in Deir al-Balah, and they served the purpose perfectly.”
Even election ink was unavailable after being refused entry by Israeli authorities. “We used an ink previously used by the World Health Organization during vaccination campaigns… We tested it, and it stays on the finger for several days and works well,” he explains.
Amid shortages and rising prices – “increased 10 times” – work continued intensively.
“We worked day and night… everything from papers to tickets was difficult, but in the end we succeeded,” he says, noting that around 70,000 voters are eligible in the city.
Although turnout appeared limited in the morning, it picked up later, with Abu Nada attributing the slow start to people’s focus on meeting basic needs.
“People are standing in queues for water and bread… but we hope the turnout will increase.”
The choice of Deir al-Balah to hold the elections was not random, but due to its relatively better conditions compared to other areas.
“It is impossible to hold elections in completely destroyed areas like northern Gaza or Khan Yunis… so the decision was to start in an area with minimal capacity, with the hope of expanding later.”
Still, the challenges facing the incoming City Council remain significant.
He says, “Deir al-Balah today is not the same as it was before the war…The population pressure is huge, and the expectations from the new municipality are very high.”
As for the campaign, Abu Nada explains that it was conducted in record time and with intense efforts.
“We worked like a beehive… holding over 20 awareness workshops, working with local institutions and influencers, and distributing posters and materials explaining how to vote and encouraging participation.”
At the end of his remarks, he expresses a sense of accomplishment despite the difficulties.
He says, “Today in front of everyone, we are exercising our electoral right despite all the circumstances… and this is a success in itself.”
“And hopefully, this is the first step on a long road.”
