Palestinian local elections postponed to October to facilitate polling in Gaza strip

Local development minister in the Palestinian government Khaled al-Qawasmeh announced on Tuesday that his government has postponed planned July local elections until October to facilitate polling in the Gaza Strip.

He told AFP that the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas movements means that the first Palestinian elections since 2006 can now be held in both the West Bank and Gaza.

According to Qawasmeh, the government decided to "postpone until October 22 local elections scheduled for July at the recommendation of the Central Elections Commission, which is unable to organize simultaneous elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip" by July.

"The climate of reconciliation has led to this decision to allow the electoral commission to update its Gaza Strip data with the object of holding election on the same day in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip," he added.