GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- The Central Elections Commission said Monday that 258,000 people have registered to vote in the Gaza Strip.

The roll has not been updated in Gaza since Jan. 2005 and the operation of the CEC in Gaza is seen as a boost to reconciliation efforts between Fatah and Hamas.

Jamil al-Khalidi, the regional director of the CEC in the Gaza Strip, told Ma'an 91 percent of eligible voters have now registered.

He highlighted that the CEC has decided to extend the registration period until Wednesday in light of the high enthusiasm, and said there were no contraventions during the registration process.