Palestinians are casting ballots in the first election held since the Gaza war began. Voting is taking place in a central area of the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, where municipal elections opened at 7 a.m. local time. According to the Ramallah-based Central Election Commission, about 1.5 million people are registered to vote in the West Bank and 70,000 in Gaza’s Deir al-Balah area.

This marks the first Palestinian election since Israel launched its war in Gaza in October 2023. The conflict has left much of the population struggling to meet basic needs. At least 72,568 people have been killed and more than 172,338 Palestinians injured in the Gaza Strip since the fighting began.

The vote is seen as a significant political event amid the ongoing devastation, though the source does not specify the participating parties or the expected outcomes.