Local elections in the West Bank and part of Gaza could test public trust

RAMALLAH, West Bank — For the first time in two decades, Palestinians in battle-scarred Gaza have a chance to vote in local elections Saturday.

And in the Israeli-occupied West Bank , voters are casting ballots for the first time since the start of the Israel-Hamas war . Turnout may reflect the level of public trust in a broader system led by aging leaders in the West Bank and as Gaza prepares for an anticipated transition from Hamas rule.