Palestinian protesters gather during clashes with Israeli troops, along the frontier with Israel, east of Gaza City, Aug 21, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

GAZA - The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) is planning to send an official request to the Palestinian Authority to hold municipal elections in Gaza for the first time in 18 years, a Palestinian official said on Wednesday.

Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesman, said in a press statement that the group had agreed with all other Palestinian factions to send a message to the government in Ramallah demanding to hold municipal elections in Gaza.

Qassem's remarks came after a meeting between Palestinian factions, including Hamas, and a delegation from the Ramallah-based Palestinian Central Elections Commission to discuss the possibility of holding elections in Gaza.

"We agreed with all other factions that we have reached the appropriate level to hold local elections to allow our people to choose their legislative representatives," the spokesman said.

Hisham Khalil, executive director of Palestinian Central Elections Commission, told journalists that the commission had been informed of the full agreement of the Palestinian factions to hold local elections in Gaza as soon as possible

Hisham Khalil, executive director of the CEC, told journalists that the commission had been informed of the full agreement of the Palestinian factions to hold local elections in Gaza as soon as possible.

He said the delegation would convey the "positive attitude" to the Palestinian government in Ramallah to set a date soon for holding local elections in Gaza.

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In August, Hamas announced for the first time its efforts to hold municipal elections in Gaza, receiving no comment from the Palestinian government.

Meanwhile, Munther al-Hayek, Fatah spokesman in Gaza, said in a statement that his party was ready to hold municipal elections in Gaza, just as those held in the West Bank.

The last local elections in the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2.3 million people, were held in 2005.

Separately, UN special coordinator Tor Wennesland on Wednesday expressed his deep concerns over the tensions on Gaza's eastern border with Israel.

"I am deeply concerned by the escalating tensions in and around Gaza," Wennesland, the UN special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, wrote in a post on his X account, calling for efforts to avoid another conflict that will have grave consequences for all.

Wennesland's remarks came a day after his meeting with leaders of Hamas, the Islamist group ruling Gaza, to discuss the developments in the Palestinian enclave amid the ongoing tensions.

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Over the past two weeks, Palestinian protesters have held demonstrations near the eastern fence separating Gaza and Israel over issues ranging from the treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails to Jewish visits to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a site holy to both Muslims and Jews.

During the demonstrations, the Palestinian protesters hurled stones and explosive devices at the Israeli soldiers, who responded by firing live and rubber bullets and gas bombs.

The protesters also launched tens of incendiary balloons toward the Israeli towns adjacent to the coastal enclave, setting fire to areas near the separation fence.