GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Hamas movement agreed to hold local elections in the Gaza Strip for the first time since its takeover in 2007. The Palestinian government, headed by Rami Hamdallah, issued a decree June 21 to organize the elections on Oct. 8 in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The elections will be held in 416 local bodies at once; 25 are located in Gaza and the other 391, which include 275 village councils, in the West Bank.