GAZA (Sputnik) — Local elections in all the Palestinian territories are supposed to be held every four years, however, they have only happened once in the past 10 years.
"The movement sees the need for local elections in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to renew the composition [of the legislature], based on the free will of the people <…> This will lead to the development and improvement of services provided to the Palestinian people," Hamas said in the statement.
Presidential and parliamentary elections were postponed several times because of political disputes between Hamas, which has de-facto control over the Gaza Strip, and the more moderate West Bank-based Fatah party.
In June 2014, Hamas and Fatah formed a unity government to pave the way toward elections in the Palestinian territories.
