, April 26 -- Loyalists of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have won most municipal races in Palestinian elections, including seats in a rare vote held in the Gaza Strip, election officials said on Sunday.

The elections took place at what Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa described as a "highly sensitive moment amid complex challenges and exceptional circumstances," as results were announced, reports Al Jazeera.

Saturday's vote marked the first elections in Gaza since 2006 and the first Palestinian polls since Israel's war in the territory began in October 2023.

In central Gaza's Deir el-Balah, turnout remained low, with only about 23 percent of voters participating, according to the Central Elections Commission. In the oc...