13 October 2025/Business & Tech/Jay Barmann (SFist.com)

The crisis PR team over at Salesforce has been working overtime since CEO Marc Benioff went full Trumpy in a New York Times interview Friday, going so far as to say he’d welcome the National Guard being illegally deployed in San Francisco.

Benioff was talking to former Chronicle columnist turned Times SF correspondent Heather Graham last week when he made the controversial comment that he’d welcome having National Guard troops in San Francisco — after Trump has threatened to deploy them here, and followed through with deploying them in Los Angeles, DC, and Chicago so far. This is despite legal experts’ very big questions about the legality of Trump’s willy-nilly, retaliatory troop deployments to liberal cities for no reason besides political theater, pleasing his red-state base, and his own, dangerous, dictator’s sense of gratification.

His exact words were: “We don’t have enough cops, so if [the National Guard] can be cops, I’m all for it.”

The comments are in keeping with a swath of Silicon Valley types who have shown deference, and outright ass-kissery, to Trump in second term for their own, bottom-line-focused reasons — and as Knight points out, Salesforce has “hundreds of software contracts with the federal government” that could be jeopardized if Trump turned his ire toward the company.

Benioff spoke about the understaffing issue at the SFPD, which is a real thing, and offhandedly spoke of “re-funding” the police in the city, despite the fact that they were never actually de-funded in any real way here.

He also mentioned how he employs hundreds of off-duty cops to oversee security at the annual Dreamforce convention, saying, “You’ll see. When you walk through San Francisco next week, there will be cops on every corner. That’s how it used to be.”

Benioff’s comments, in particular the casual way he approved of a National Guard deployment here, were not treated lightly by local leaders, with several supervisors including Jackie Fielder and Matt Dorsey talking about boycotting Dreamforce this year in protest.

“Candidly, I am very disappointed in Salesforce and Marc Benioff with their statement,” Dorsey said to NBC Bay Area. “I think this is something that’s a real disservice to our city, I thought it was insulting to the work that Mayor [Daniel] Lurie is trying to do, and those of us who are really fighting for public safety.”

Assemblymember Matt Haney put it more bluntly, telling the Times, “You can’t support San Francisco and want to see us invaded.”

Now, as NBC Bay Area reported Monday, Benioff appeared to want to walk back his statement, following the outcry — and after Elon Musk tried to jump on the bandwagon over the weekend, enjoying any chance he can get to shit on San Francisco despite continuing to open offices here.

Benioff’s new, publicist-polished statement on the matter is as follows: “When I was recently asked about federal resources, my point was this: each year, to make Dreamforce as safe as possible for 50,000 attendees, we add 200 additional law-enforcement professionals — coordinated across city, state, and other partners. It’s proof that collaboration works and a reminder that the city needs more resources to keep San Franciscans safe year-round.”

As Dreamforce kicked off on this rainy Monday, Benioff and Salesforce announced a pledge of $15 billion in investments in San Francisco over the next five years — though the specifics about this were not provided. The company did say it would be spending money to establish an AI incubator hub in the city, and that it would be investing in workforce development and training, as the Chronicle notes.

In a statement, the company said this “reflects our deep commitment to our hometown — advancing AI innovation, creating jobs, and helping companies and our communities thrive in this incredible new era.”

Meanwhile, on Xitter, Benioff was posting photos with Metallica’s Lars Ullrich, and, as usual, touting the celebrities coming to Dreamforce this year, including Rob Lowe, America Ferrera, and Pete Buttigieg. Also, the annual benefit concert this year at the Chase Center is being headlined by Benson Boone.

Top image: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff speaks during Salesforce’s Dreamforce on September 17, 2024 in San Francisco, California. Some 45,000 workers in the tech industry were expected to attend the annual Dreamforce event, which runs through September 19. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

by Oscar Palma October 12, 2025 (MissionLocal.org)

Long-vacant Mission District spaces are being filled by newcomers, and others are leaving after serving their last fare.

Mission Local put together a list of recent business closings and openings, including the departure of a Nicaraguan eatery that served residents for generations, a switch from hand-rolled sushi to hamburgers on Guerrero Street, and a new tenant in the vacant former Doc’s Clock space.

And Beauty Bar may really, finally be reopening?

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If we missed any businesses, let us know by sending an email to oscar.palma@missionlocal.com.

Restaurante Las Tinajas serves its final gallo pinto

Las Tinajas has served its last gallo pinto (traditional Nicaraguan fried rice and beans), its last baho (cassava, plantain and beef wrapped in banana leaves), and its last plate of nacatamales (Nicaraguan tamales). The Mission establishment, open at 2338 Mission St. for 39 years, closed at the end of September. 

It is unclear why the restaurant closed. 

“I’m very sad that it closed. Las Tinajas has been a staple of the Mission District, especially with so many Nicaraguans that have been here since the ’50s,” said Mission resident and president of the lowrider council Roberto Hernandez, whose parents are from Nicaragua.

Hernandez said the restaurant was a personal destination for his family, when they’d celebrate special occasions, like birthdays.

“You’d bring your abuelita there, and you’d always run into people that you knew from the community,” Hernandez said, remembering that Las Tinajas’ owners always supported Nicaraguan traditions like La Purisima, a national Catholic celebration.  

Las Tinajas’ reach went beyond the Mission District. Former Giants outfielder and Nicaraguan national, Marvin Benard, was a regular at the restaurant. A 2002 San Francisco Chronicle article by Joan Ryan recounted Benard bringing food from Las Tinajas to the clubhouse.

“Benard sometimes spreads out carne asada, rice and beans and plantains from Las Tinajas, the Nicaraguan restaurant on Mission Street that has been a hub for Latin ballplayers for years,” it read. 

Hernandez also remembers Giants legends Orlando Cepeda and Juan Marichal being customers there in the ’90s. “Orlando used to love their yucca,” Hernandez recalled with a soft smile.  

More recently, in May of last year, Mission residents filled Las Tinajas to the brim to meet the 2023 Nicaraguan Miss Universe, Sheynnis Lacayo. Hernandez described the occasion as his fondest memory at the restaurant, one he will never forget.

A Guatemalan restaurant is expected to take over the space, but it is unclear when. 

New restaurant coming to original Doc’s Clock space on Mission 

The former Doc’s Clock at 2575 Mission St. has been vacant since 2017, when the legacy bar moved down the street to 2417 Mission St. But, last month, the building owners received a conditional use permit from the Planning Commission to merge the space with the adjacent storefront. 

The new space will be nearly 4,000 square feet, big enough to host a Mexican restaurant and bar.

“It’s gonna be a little more upscale, a place where people can dine in and hear a little bit of music,” said Leticia Luna, the owner of the building and future restaurant.

Luna owns Roccapulco, a music venue and club at 3140 Mission St., and has opened other restaurants in the city. The space in the Mission, however, will be her first food venture in the neighborhood where she grew up.

“It makes me feel good,” said Luna. “I’m involved in the Mission neighborhood. I’m part of Carnaval, and I have my hands on a lot of things there.”

Luna said opening day has not yet been set, and that there’s no name for the restaurant yet. She also plans to rent it out for private celebrations.

Mandi House will bring Yemeni food to Valencia 

A little piece of Yemen is what Adel Alghazali wants to bring to the corner of Valencia and 18th streets: He’s opening a new restaurant called Mandi House at the site of the former Petra Mediterranean. 

“The minute you walk in, you’re not going to think you are in America. It’d be a totally different place,” said Alghazali, who plans to have decor brought straight from his native Yemen to create ambiance for his clients.

Mandi House is expected to open in late November at 680 Valencia St. The name is a tribute to a Yemeni dish consisting of meat and rice cooked in a pit.

Once open, Alghazali said customers can expect fresh and organic products with halal meats cooked with spices, also brought directly from Yemen.

Hamburgers replacing sushi on Guerrero

Handroll Project, a sushi and handroll restaurant, closed its doors in August after three years at 598 Guerrero St. at the intersection with 18th Street. A sign for the new “Hamburger Project” now sits above the front door of the building.

The original Hamburger Project opened at 808 Divisadero St. in December and sold more than 1,000 burgers in its first two days. After rapid success, a social media scandal broke when one of the chefs messaged a food influencer after she described the burgers as “not great.” 

The chef, Greoffrey Lee, lost his job as a result.

It is unclear when the Guerrero Street Hamburger Project will open.

Fried Chicken Palace

A new business called Fried Chicken Palace registered with the city on Sept. 1 at 2240 Mission St., the former home of Wes Burgers, which closed in July after 13 years in the Mission.

Mission Local reached out numerous times to business owners, but they did not reply to a request for comment.

Taqueria Los Altos takes over now-empty Taqueria San Jose space

For the first time in years, Mission residents will see a taqueria other than Taqueria San Jose at 2830 Mission St., right off the 24th Street BART plaza. Taqueria Los Altos is taking over the space left empty by Taqueria San Jose, which moved across the street in July.

A construction worker said Friday morning that the business is expected to open late this month. Mission Local could not reach the business owners.

The return of Beauty Bar — maybe? Finally?

Jahaziel Garay, owner of Beauty Bar, confirmed Friday morning that the bar’s return is closer than ever. The business closed its doors last April after its previous owners sold the business.

Garay said that, after unexpected delays, Beauty Bar is set to reopen in late October or early November. Its reopening has been pushed back before, however: It was originally slated for the end of 2024, and then again this April.

Corey’s Pizza still without permits

Corey Rogers, a longtime bartender at the 500 Club, hoped to open Corey’s Pizza later this year at the former home of Turner’s Kitchen at 3505 17th St., which closed in January. The process of getting permits, however, has proven more challenging than anticipated, leaving him without an opening date.

Rogers’ three previous attempts to get the permits for the restaurant build-out have been unsuccessful, though it is unclear why. On Friday, he was on his way to a fourth attempt to get them approved.

Once open, Rogers said he hoped to create a business reminiscent of his childhood.

He wrote in an Instagram message on Friday morning that he imagines the new place will be like the ones he grew up with: A takeout place for a grab-and-go slice. It will have a counter and a small seating area. Customers will be able to bring their food to the 500 Club.   

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Oscar Palma

oscar.palma@missionlocal.com

Reporting from the Mission District and other District 9 neighborhoods. Some of his personal interests are bicycles, film, and both Latin American literature and punk. Oscar’s work has previously appeared in KQED, The Frisc, El Tecolote, and Golden Gate Xpress.More by Oscar Palma

The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder Streamed live 6 hours ago The Majority Report w/ Sam Sederhttps://www.zohranfornyc.com/

Trump and his Republican accomplices are waging war on fairness itself. They want to rig the maps, the courts, and the registration system to steal power they can’t win honestly. But good news: the most potent defense against fascism isn’t found in palaces or war rooms. It’s found in us — ordinary people who refuse to look away. These are not small acts; they are the heartbeat of democracy. Decentralized, determined, and deeply human, grassroots power has always been the antidote to tyranny.

• Click here to sign on to our petition to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to reject an illegal and unnecessary voter registration requirement that would effectively block millions of Americans from voting by imposing severe barriers to registration.
• Click here to Stop the “Show-Your-Papers” Voter Suppression Rule
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The Road to Now Jun 30, 2025 Full episodes Hannah Arendt witnessed the rise of Nazism in Germany and her groundbreaking works, including The Origins of Totalitarianism, sought to understand how regular people could be seduced by horrendous ideologies such as antisemitism and fascism. In this episode, Ben speaks with documentarian Jeff Bieber, whose new film Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny, documents Adendt’s life as an intellectual, refugee and, eventually, an American citizen whose concerns about power remain as relevant today as they were half a century ago. Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny premiered on PBS on June 27 and is available to watch on pbs.org by clicking here. For more on Jeff Bieber’s work, check out his website: JeffBieberProductions.org.

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An international debate over the Nobel Peace Prize overlooked voices standing in solidarity and bearing witness to international crimes

Shahid Buttar Oct 11, 2025

Before the recent announcement of the “Gaza peace plan,” I wrote a few pieces about the flotilla missions aiming to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza despite the criminal Israeli genocide. Among other things, those pieces explored the possibility of international solidarity with Gaza expanding in the wake of a U.S. labor leader enduring discriminatory state violence.

The latest unarmed flotilla mission intercepted by the Israeli Navy may have played a bigger role in compelling the peace plan than most observers realize. Coming on the heels of previous efforts, it confronted Israeli belligerence, which prompted a crucial international reaction whose impacts remain largely unobserved.

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While many debated whether or not another U.S. president deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize, few recognized the events that likely played a bigger role in forcing Israel to accept the ceasefire long (ineffectually) demanded by the international community.

What solidarity looks like

Solidarity references action rooted in the recognition of shared interests. It evokes the power of collective action, as well as the profound service implicit in standing alongside others to challenge abuses to which we ourselves have not (yet) been subjected.

It might come as no surprise, then, to see a visionary Black U.S. labor leader joining the Sumud flotilla (named after an Arabic word connoting steadfast perseverance) and serving as one of the flotilla’s spokespeople. The detention of Chris Smalls by Israeli authorities, who then subjected him to state violence in custody, is not far removed from the vicious attacks on civil rights organizers by authorities across the South—and in Washington, DC—during the Jim Crow era.

It has more relevance to today’s context than most observers realized before Trump’s return to Washington earlier this year.

The flotilla intercepted last week mobilized a massive—and widely representative—global base of support. It consisted of over 40 ships, and 500 participants coming from over 44 different countries. Noteworthy participants included an elected policymaker from Portugal, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, the former Mayor of Barcelona, and climate justice spokesperson and international (and intergenerational) hero Greta Thunberg.

Greta Thunberg upon landing in Greece after enduring abuse in Israeli custody

What heroism looks like

Thunberg’s participation in the flotilla is noteworthy for several reasons.

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First, Israel would likely have embraced even more severe violence in its response to the flotilla had white Europeans not been on board. According to the head of Amnesty International, the interception was a “calculated act of intimidation . . . intended to punish and silence critics of Israel’s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza.” Without the presence of White Europeans, that intimidation would likely have been as lethal as other Israeli operations falsely described as defensive.

To be fair, even white Americans have been killed by Israeli soldiers with impunity. On the one hand, that might suggest limits to the value of international solidarity. That view, however, mistakes the ways in which movements build over time, and how voices speaking in one era can inspire those who come after.

In retrospect, the prescience and courage of Rachel Corrie may have inspired the more recent self-immolation of U.S. servicemember Aaron Bushnell. Few have appreciated the unique challenges confronting military servicemembers, whose choices illustrate the moral conundrum that so many of us confront in different ways.

Servicemembers, in particular, are trapped between a proverbial rock and a hard place. By enlisting, they sacrifice their First Amendment rights, which effectively blocks them from publicly speaking out to challenge the crimes of their leaders. Meanwhile, following orders supporting an ongoing genocide risks the specter of becoming complicit in international crimes.

If servicemembers disobey orders in order to comply with international legal principles settled at Nuremberg, they risk a court-martial (soon). On the other hand, if they follow those illegal orders, they risk international liability for human rights violations (later).

That is a faustian choice, which makes the acts of solidarity by civilians so crucial. Few demonstrate that example better than Chris Smalls and Greta Thunberg.

Intersectionality

Second, Thunberg, in particular, demonstrates the intersectionality of the various issues visible in today’s accelerating crises.

Some might imagine climate justice to be separable from human rights struggles. They overlook the extent to which climate chaos has been largely enabled by strategic denials of human rights. The recurring tragic experiences of populations living in regions rich in fossil fuel resources offer compelling case studies.

The West was warned of this dynamic decades ago. The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. explained that capitalism (i.e., industrial resource extraction) inevitably intersects (i.e., relies upon and also reinforces) militarism and racism. His recognition of intersectionality is among the most profound gifts that he left us.

Few stand in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with as much consistency as Thunberg. In that respect, her example might be poised to help others finally recognize his radical legacy—and ideally, take action to support its realization in practice.

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If nothing else, Greta has also experienced a pattern similar to what MLK encountered during his era. She was widely welcomed when she challenged climate nihilism—but equally widely condemned when she stepped forward to challenge the Israeli genocide. Similarly, MLK was lauded as a civil rights hero by many voices that turned their backs on him once he began to assertively challenge Washington’s war on Vietnam and the militarism that enabled it.

Intergenerational leadership

Third, Thunberg embodies the generational change impeded in the U.S. by decades of continuing bipartisan corruption in Washington. She emerged as a global grassroots leader as a teenager, and remains in her early 20s. Her voice resonates with young people in a way that the geriatric organizers of climate chaos cannot.

Before she was detained, she recorded a short video that I encourage every reader to watch.

The aid that the flotilla aimed to deliver was crucially important because Israel had imposed a deliberate starvation campaign as part of its genocide. While many concerns have emerged about the legitimacy and durability of the nascent peace plan, the most immediate way in which it has changed life on the ground for Gazans is by re-opening the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard explained that Israel’s interception of the Sumud flotilla:

comes after weeks of threats and incitement by Israeli officials against the flotilla and its participants and after several attempts to sabotage some of its ships….The very fact that they had to set sail in the first place is a clear indictment of the international community’s persistent failure to end Israel’s ongoing genocide and to ensure the unhindered flow of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In this context, the flotilla may have focused international attention on an unfolding genocide, in a way that years of Israeli bombing campaigns—and sniper attacks on unarmed children—somehow did not.

Many voices have debated in the past few days whether President Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize based on his diplomacy between Israel and Gaza. They all overlooked the far more influential impact of international solidarity—and the millions of people of conscience from around the world who have taken action to challenge the Israeli genocide and defend human rights in exile.

Swift global reaction inspired a growing wave

Around the world, reaction to Israel’s assault on the flotilla was both swift and dramatic.

In both Italy and Germany, activists shut down mass transit networks, while calls mounted across Europe for an ensuing general strike. The government of Colombia expelled Israeli diplomats and cancelled its free trade agreement with Israel, while Turkish officials described the Israeli assault on the flotilla as “an act of terrorism.” A litany of other countries witnessed either grassroots action, condemnation by officials of Israeli actions, or both.

Trump’s assaults on the rights of Americans—particularly visible at the moment in Chicago, where I lived throughout the 1990s—is largely intended to diminish our collective capacity to model these examples from Europe and elsewhere. Whether it proved successful would have been as much up to us as it would have been to the authorities who aim to compel our complacence.

In that context, I see the announcement of a “Gaza peace plan” as akin to George W. Bush’s speech on May 1, 2003 before a “mission accomplished” banner hung from the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. Both were measures taken theoretically to advance human rights, but particularly, to hamstring domestic dissent and derail mounting international condemnation.

A preview of some upcoming posts

I started a series earlier this year examining the impact of Trump’s policies on the U.S. economy. Finishing it has stymied me, but I’ve got a draft in motion of the next installment that I hope to finish developing soon.

I’ve also been working on pieces exploring the effective imposition of martial law in Chicago, and a further analysis of this week’s international discussion surrounding the Nobel Peace Prize. While I’m the first to argue that Trump’s domestic violations of civil rights and civil liberties should disqualify him for any discussion of the award, I’ll make a case that he might have ironically deserved it—for reasons very different than he and his confused supporters seem to think.

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Finally, I’ve got a piece about a bizarre alignment that emerged between the far left and far right unnoticed by the centrist voices whose gaslighting brought them together. I might ultimately make it a bonus section for paid subscribers rather than a standalone article, but we’ll see how many topics emerge to further distract me between now and whenever it comes to rest.

https://open.substack.com/pub/shahidbuttar/p/who-made-the-gaza-peace-plan-possible?r=e0iq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Trump administration has been accused of preparing to severely limit journalists’ ability to cover the department

Jeremy Barr Thu 9 Oct 2025 (TheGuardian.com)

With days left before journalists covering the Pentagon must sign on to a new set of guidelines to retain physical access to the department, major US news companies – and organizations representing their interests – remain concerned about specific policies they fear will stifle independent reporting on the Pentagon.

The Trump administration has been accused of preparing to impose severe limitations on the ability of journalists to cover the Pentagon and publish information that had not been officially approved for release.

An “in-brief for Media Members” that updated an earlier set of policies, released last month, drew strong condemnation from media companies and groups advocating for press freedom. On Monday, the Pentagon sent out a revised version.

On Wednesday, the Pentagon Press Association, which said it has been “cautious” in communicating about the policy as it worked behind the scenes, said the changes made – including an acknowledgment that signees may not “agree” with the policies – are not sufficient.

In particular, the revised policy still prohibits journalists from the “solicitation” of information from Pentagon employees, “such as public advertisements or calls for tips encouraging [Department of War] employees to share non-public [Department of War] information”. Journalists fear that policy could infringe on their ability to seek information about the agency from employees.

Donald Trump recently signed an executive order to change the name of the defense department to the Department of War. This would require approval from Congress to become official.

“We acknowledge and appreciate that the Pentagon is no longer requiring reporters to express agreement with the new policy as a condition for obtaining press credentials,” the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement. “But the Pentagon is still asking us to affirm in writing our ‘understanding’ of policies that appear designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution for simply doing our jobs.”

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP), which has worked behind the scenes to relax the policies, said the changes do not go far enough.

“The fact is we still have concerns with the updated language of the policy and expect that it will pose a significant impediment as journalists weigh with their employers whether or not to sign this revised version,” Gabe Rottman, the RCFP vice-president of policy said.

PEN America, an organization that advocates for free expression, also said Thursday that the Pentagon should “revisit” its policies. “National security is strengthened, not threatened, when journalists can investigate and report without fear,” Tim Richardson, PEN America journalism and disinformation program director said.

With the exception of CNN, which does not plan to sign the policy, most news organizations have been tight-lipped when asked whether they plan to sign by next week’s deadline or risk losing access to the Pentagon compound.

The New York Times said in a statement that it “appreciates the Pentagon’s engagement, but problems remain with the policy and we and other news organizations believe further changes are needed”.

A spokesperson for the Atlantic also said it “[continues] to oppose the Pentagon’s proposed press policy”.

Pentagon representatives have been steadfast in rebuffing the protests of media organizations.

“Access to the Pentagon is a privilege, not a right and the Department is not only legally permitted, but morally obligated to impose reasonable regulations on the exercise of that privilege,” chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a post on X, denying that journalists will be forced to “clear stories” with the agency before publication.

Kingsley Wilson, the Pentagon press secretary, said in her own post that “reporters would rather clutch their pearls on social media than stop trying to get warfighters and [Department of War] civilians to commit a crime by violating Department-wide policy.”

In its statement on Wednesday, the Pentagon Press Association called on the agency to reconsider the policies in the remaining days before journalists are asked to sign them.

“Limiting the media’s ability to report on the US military fails to honor the American families who have entrusted their sons and daughters to serve in it, or the taxpayers responsible for giving the department hundreds of billions of dollars a year,” the group said. “The American people deserve to know how their military is being run. They deserve more information from this administration, not less.”

Posted inPolitics and Movements: International

“People were screaming in the streets, because after two years of bombings and destruction and loss, finally they will sign the ceasefire,” said one aid worker. “I hope they can maintain this deal.”

by Julia Conley October 9, 2025 (therealnews.com)

Palestinian children celebrate in Khan Yunis on October 9, 2025, following news of a new Gaza ceasefire deal. Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images

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This story originally appeared in Common Dreams on Oct. 09, 2025. It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.

Palestinian civilians and aid groups in Gaza expressed “jubilation” along with underlying caution and “skepticism,” as one local reporter said, on Thursday following the news that Hamas and Israel had come to an agreement to end Israel’s two-year assault on the exclave.

Israel is expected to withdraw troops to an agreed-upon line and to allow an influx of aid into Gaza along with releasing Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli hostages.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a ceasefire would take effect later in the day, “once the government convenes and approves the deal,” but Nour Odeh reported at Al Jazeera that “that is not stopping the celebrations” of the news that Israel’s relentless destruction of Gaza was expected to soon come to a halt.

“People were screaming in the streets, because after two years of bombings and destruction and loss, finally they will sign the ceasefire [deal],” Laila Al Shana, a project manager for Palestinian grassroots aid group Humans To Be in Gaza, told Al Jazeera. “I hope they can maintain this deal.”

Tareq Abu Azzoum, a reporter for the outlet in az-Zawayda, central Gaza, said there was “an undeniable collective sense of relief seen here in Gaza” on Thursday following President Donald Trump’s announcement that Hamas and Israel had reached a deal on the first phase of the 20-point peace plan Trump proposed last week.

https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1976173900288647512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1976173900288647512%7Ctwgr%5E7153c9fc638900fe96b6976dcec284a9fbaf9000%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftherealnews.com%2Fpalestinians-ceasefire-deal-reached

“People were celebrating, and there were very obvious scenes of jubilation across Gaza for families who took to the streets, cheering, waving Palestinian flags, and even launching fireworks,” reported Abu Azzoum. “But beneath that surface jubilation, there is a relative sense of skepticism, especially as families are quite afraid that Israel could resume the war in Gaza under one security pretext or another.”

Reports from Gaza’s Civil Defense suggested that the fears were not unfounded; Drop Site News reported at 9:30 am local time that according to the agency, there was “a series of intense air strikes” on Gaza City and explosions across northern Gaza after the deal was announced, while Hani Mahmoud said there were “a couple of attacks in Khan Younis.”

Mahmoud said that there was “cautious hope” in Gaza that “the truce may hold this time, despite Israel’s pattern of last-minute actions aimed at derailing agreements.”

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on Palestinian rights, also expressed cautious optimism, noting that Israel broke a ceasefire deal in March, and stressed that “Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid in Palestine” must ultimately be “dismantled.”

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Hamas negotiators told Drop Site News that there was a risk to accepting a deal that does not include a complete withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, but rather a withdrawal to a specific line—the details of which were “still being worked out” Wednesday night.

“This is a risk, but we trusted President Trump to be the guarantor of all the commitments made,” Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas leader, told Drop Site News on Monday.

The Palestinian negotiators have “faced unprecedented pressure from Arab and Islamic mediators over the past 48 hours to make significant concessions and to quickly reach an agreement on the aspects of Trump’s plan that address the exchange of captives, a ceasefire, and the resumption of aid,” Drop Site News reported.

But Matt Duss of the Center for International Policy emphasized that “it wasn’t pressure on Hamas that got the ceasefire, they’ve obviously been under intense pressure all along.”

Rather, with the international community increasingly expressing outrage over the human-caused humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s expressions of intent to commit genocidal violence there, “the key variable here was pressure on Netanyahu,” said Duss.

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Recent polls in the United States, the largest international funder of the Israel Defense Forces, have found a major reversal in the public’s views on the war, with more respondents telling The New York Times in September that they supported the Palestinians over the Israelis—for the first time since the newspaper began polling people on the subject nearly 30 years ago.

The Washington Post also found that support for Israel has plummeted among Jewish Americans, 61% of whom told the newspaper that they believe Israel has committed war crimes in Gaza.

Aid groups expressed hope Thursday that they would be able to begin delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians promptly. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that more than 461 people have died of malnutrition and starvation since the war started, with most dying this year. A famine in parts of Gaza was declared by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification in August.

“We need sustained humanitarian supplies to enter. We need, as a humanitarian community, access to communities, to children. We need to be able to do our jobs, we need safe and dignified distributions,” Rachel Cummings, the humanitarian director of Save the Children in Deir el-Balah, Gaza, told Al Jazeera. “Organizations like Save the Children and obviously the [United Nations] and its partners, we know how to prevent famine. We know how to treat malnutrition, and we need these sustained supplies to enter to be able to do them.”

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees emphasized that it has food, medicine, and other essentials ready to be distributed as soon as it is permitted to begin delivering aid, and said the progress reported Wednesday night came as a “huge relief.”

”After their excruciating ordeal, hostages and Palestinian detainees will finally join their families,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. “We have enough to provide food for the entire population for the coming three months. Our teams in Gaza are crucial for the implementation of this agreement, including to provide basic services like healthcare and education.”

James Elder, a spokesperson for the United Nations Children’s Fund, posted a video on Instagram from Gaza, where over the last two years, more than 67,000 Palestinians—including more than 18,000 children—have been killed; 90% of the population has been displace; at least 39,000 children have been left without one or both of their parents; and many children have undergone surgeries and amputations without anesthesia.

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“A journalist just asked me: Did you imagine that we would reach this moment? Did you think we would reach the stage of a ceasefire?” said Elder. “My reflections were that I never thought we would reach a point where 20,000 girls and boys would be killed.”

Julia Conley

Julia Conley is a staff writer for Common Dreams.More by Julia Conley

Demonstrators take part in a protest against the Trump administration during the “No Kings” national rally in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 2025, on the same day as President Trump’s military parade in Washington, DC. Hundreds of thousands of protesters rallied nationwide Saturday against Donald Trump ahead of a huge military parade on the US president’s 79th birthday.

 (Photo by Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images)

“Let’s call this what it is: A baseless attempt to chill free speech and scare people away from exercising their constitutional right to protest an authoritarian regime.”

Jon Queally

Oct 10, 2025 (CommonDreams.org)

The pro-democracy group Indivisible is among those speaking out against the Trump administration’s reported targeting of progressive and liberal organizations with various government agencies, including the FBI and IRS, as part of what critics call an “authoritarian playbook” by President Donald Trump that seeks to criminalize dissent, chill free speech, and frame nonviolent protest and opposition as “domestic terrorism.”

In-depth reporting by Reuters named Trump’s far-right, xenophobic White House advisor Stephen Miller as “playing a central role” in the internal effort to wield the power of federal agencies at a variety of organizations that the administration claims—contrary to all available evidence—are funding or orchestrating violent protests and political attacks.

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Granted anonymity to speak more freely about the internal mechanics of the operation, Reuters’ reporting is based on discussions with “three White House officials, four Department of Homeland Security officials and one Justice Department official to produce the first comprehensive account of how decisions are being made, forces deployed, and operations coordinated in the crackdown.”

“Trump wants to scare people away from exercising their constitutional rights. We won’t let him succeed. Don’t let this smear distract you. The best response to attacks on our rights is to exercise our rights. That means showing up in huge numbers on October 18.”

According to Reuters, “Miller is deeply involved in reviewing government agencies’ investigations into the financial networks behind what the administration labels ‘domestic terror networks,’ which include nonprofits and even educational institutions, a White House official said.”

In response to [a Reuter’s request], the White House highlighted seven political protests in 2023 and 2025 that included acts of violence directed against law enforcement officials, and two incidents of vandalism at Tesla dealerships this year as well as half a dozen social media posts celebrating the damage.

It named nine liberal groups, donors or fundraising organizations that it said helped finance or plan protests where the violent incidents occurred.

While the second White House official stressed that the organizations were not necessarily potential targets, the material provides insight into the administration’s thinking.The list includes Soros’ Open Society Foundations; ActBlue, the funding arm of the Democratic Party; Indivisible, a grassroots coalition opposed to Trump policies and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, a Los Angeles-based group.

“The goal is to destabilize Soros’ network,” a third White House official said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Soros’s network of charitable organizations rejected any claim by Trump or the White House officials that its operations have anything to do with violent conduct or promoting violence.

“Neither George Soros nor the Open Society Foundations fund protests, condone violence, or foment it in any way,” the spokesperson said. “Claims to the contrary are false.”

Other groups named by the White House officials were two Jewish-led advocacy groups, IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace, both of which have organized protests and nonviolent sit-ins to oppose the genocide in Gaza being carried out by the US-backed Israeli government.

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Citing the Reuters reporting, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin said in a social media thread Thursday night that the fact a looming crackdown on groups opposed to Trump and his far-right agenda is coming less than two weeks before “before the largest peaceful protest in modern American history is absolutely intentional.” On October 18, massive protests are planned nationwide as a follow-up to the “No Kings” day of action that took place in June, bringing an estimated one million people into the streets against the Republican Party’s authoritarian lurch under Trump.

According to Reuters, “Miller is taking a ‘hands-on’ role in investigating the funding of nonprofits and educational institutions and is sharing recommendations from Attorney General Pam Bondi and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with Trump and other top advisers,” as well as sharing information with the joint terrorism task force.

“We don’t have all the details, but it appears Trump’s regime is gearing up to smear us with ludicrous accusations that we’re somehow tied to violence at protests—a claim that’s as false as it is predictable,” said Levin. “Let’s call this what it is: A baseless attempt to chill free speech and scare people away from exercising their constitutional right to protest an authoritarian regime. We have been committed to nonviolence from the very beginning. It’s a core principle, not just a talking point.”

“We will not back down,” Levin said in the post. “Trump and Miller can lie, smear, and threaten all they want. They will lose.”

“By floating false allegations of violence,” he concluded, “Trump wants to scare people away from exercising their constitutional rights. We won’t let him succeed. Don’t let this smear distract you. The best response to attacks on our rights is to exercise our rights. That means showing up in huge numbers on October 18.”

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Jon Queally

Jon Queally is managing editor of Common Dreams.