FRANCE PRESS

RAMALLAH: Palestinian local elections in October will only be held in the West Bank as Hamas is hampering preparations in Gaza, an electoral official said Wednesday.
The official said the government had informed the Central Elections Commission of the decision, taken earlier Wednesday.

“The elections committee was informed today by the government that it had decided to hold municipal elections only in the West Bank on Oct. 22,” he said.
The issue was the subject of a special Cabinet session earlier Wednesday after the CEC sent a letter to say it was proving impossible to prepare for elections in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the official said.
Local elections had originally been scheduled for July 9, but following a surprise reconciliation deal between Fatah and rival Hamas in early May, the date was moved to Oct. 22.