Palestinians in parts of the West Bank and central Gaza went to the polls Saturday in their first elections since the Gaza war, with low turnout and a limited political field amid growing public frustration.
Nearly 1.5 million people are registered to vote in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as well as 70,000 people in Gaza's Deir el-Balah area, according to the Ramallah-based Central Elections Commission.
In the opening hours, a steady trickle of voters made their way to polling stations in Al-Bireh in the West Bank and Deir el-Balah.
By late morning, turnout was strikingly low at 15 percent, rising to 24.53 percent by 1 pm (1000 GMT), the election commission said.
An AFP journalist reported near?empty stations across parts of the West Bank, as foreign diplomats observed the process.
