Palestinians are voting in local elections on Saturday, including the first poll of any kind to be held in Gaza since 2006.
Elections are taking place across the occupied West Bank, as well as in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza where Hamas operates.
Hamas was not allowed to stand in the election and several other factions have boycotted it over a requirement that candidates commit to recognizing the authority of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), which dominates the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing in parts of the occupied West Bank not under Israeli control.
Fatah, the faction led by President Mahmoud Abbas and which dominates the PLO, was violently ousted from Gaza by Hamas in the aftermath of the last elections there.
While Hamas was not on the ballot in Deir al-Balah, Reuters news agency reported that one slate of candidates was widely seen as being aligned with it.
The central city was chosen as the sole Gaza area where elections would take place as it was not as badly damaged as other places during the Israel-Hamas war. A fragile ceasefire is in place as part of President Trump's 20-point peace plan, which halted the fighting in October last year.
Hamas continues to operate in parts of Gaza where Israeli forces have withdrawn from, and Reuters reported that its police force was involved in security operations around polling stations.
More than a million voters across the Palestinian territories are eligible to take part, according to the Ramallah-based Central Elections Commission, including 70,000 in Deir al-Balah, where 12 polling stations were scheduled to operate.
Palestinians over the age of 18 who have lived in an area where an election is taking place for at least six months are allowed to vote.
Voting began at 07:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and polls close at 19:00 local time. The results are expected late on Saturday or on Sunday.
Fatah is the only major faction on the ballot across the Palestinian territories, guaranteed victory in some districts because no opposition candidates are running.
While elections are taking place for 90 municipal councils and 93 village councils, the result will be decided without a poll in a further 42 municipal councils and 155 villages councils as only one faction is standing - and in some other areas, no candidates have come forward at all.
The field narrowed after several groups objected to an election law which set the conditions under which candidates would be permitted to stand, only allowing those who recognize the PLO.
Earlier this week the United Nations deputy special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Dr Ramiz Alakbarov, emphasized that the elections represent an important opportunity for Palestinians to exercise their democratic rights during an exceptionally challenging period.
People like Mohammed al-Hasayna in Deir al-Balah voiced hopes that these elections would signify the people's will to live, urging the world to help rebuild Gaza. Conversely, others, including businessman Mahmud Bader in Tulkarem, remained skeptical, citing Israeli occupation as the ruling authority.
