Delayed municipal elections to be held January 30 - except in evacuated towns

Municipal elections that were slated for the end of October will be held on January 30, says Interior Minister Moshe Arbel.

Arbel says that in 100 communities and towns evacuated following the outbreak of the war — which are part of 14 cities or regional councils — elections cannot be held on January 30, including in the cities of Sderot near Gaza and Kiryat Shmona near Lebanon.

There, elections will be held no earlier than 150 days after residents are able to return home, Arbel says.

Ofir Libstein, the head of the Shaar Hanegev regional council, who was running for reelection, was murdered by Hamas on October 7.