KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In 2010, Yassin Terou fled Syria and made a new home in East Tennessee. He arrived in Knoxville and opened Yassin's Falafel House, a locale that quickly became an anchor for the community. Beyond serving carefully prepared falafel, the restaurant garnered a reputation for welcoming all people and supporting the community around it.
That reputation eventually led to the restaurant earning the title of Nicest Place in America from Reader's Digest. It's an accolade that reflects Terou's positive and kind attitude. His commitment to the community has stayed firm, even as the Israel-Gaza Crisis continues to impact East Tennessee.
"I'm trying to be that person who's trying to represent the middle, and the peace, with keeping and protecting the rights of our community," he said. "Most of the people, they know me. Most of the people, they eat at my restaurant. Even if we don't agree right now, I still love them."
Recently, he has appeared at the "People's School for Gaza" — a near-daily gathering of community members and University of Tennessee students near the Student Union where participants host discussions about the culture and history of Palestine.
"Actually for the event at UT, my kids did not see me for three days," he said. "I'm going to do my best to leave this world better than what I received, and I received it as a great, great, great community."
The People's School for Gaza emerged following a vigil for the Palestinians killed in the Israel-Gaza Crisis, as well as a demonstration calling for the UT to divest from Israel and cancel its Israeli study abroad program. Seven students were arrested and two people not affiliated with UT were arrested during late-night demonstrations after they were told to leave.
The pro-Palestinian demonstrations erupted alongside several others at college campuses across the U.S.
"I'm doing my part at least, and I'm gonna be who I am. I'm gonna ask them to stop the killing of any civilians, any innocent people, anywhere," said Terou.
He also said during the crisis, he's relying on his talent for cooking to connect with the community.
"For me, it was getting the community together through food. This is my, like, it's something I love to do," he said. "If you see me anywhere, if you come just ask me, if you need any help — I will be there for you."
He said he is also working to support people in Syria and Turkey who are still recovering from a devastating earthquake that killed thousands of people and demolished buildings. In February, he raised money and delivered funds to the area to support relief efforts.
Most of all, he said he wants to demonstrate how to be a good community leader for his children.
"I promised my kids," he said.
Background on the Israel-Gaza Crisis
More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Israeli officials said around 1,200 people died in the Oct. 7 Hamas-led raid in Southern Israel, and some 570 Israeli soldiers have reportedly been killed since.
The ongoing Israeli offensive has also been internationally condemned, and the International Court of Justice called for Israel to prevent death and destruction after South Africa filed allegations that the country committed genocide in Gaza.
Across the U.S., protests at college campuses have also flared to show support for Palestine. At several schools nationally, police and National Guard members were called to force the demonstrations to an end.
The Oct. 7 bombing followed decades of tension, during which time the Human Rights Watch said Gazans lived in an "open-air prison." Most of the tension centers around Palestine and Gaza, an area that was divided as part of the "Nakba" — a period of displacements in the region following World War II as Israel was created.
"It remains a deeply traumatic event in their collective memory and continues to shape their struggle for justice and for their right to return to their homes," the UN said about the Nakba.
Hamas was elected to power during the mid-2000s. The United Nations said in 2019 more than half of all people in Gaza were under 18 years old, indicating they were not able to vote for Hamas when Israel declared war.
The group launched the attack on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War — causing an initial death toll that was unseen since the 1973 war between Israel, Egypt and Syria. The day after the Oct. 7 bombing, Israel declared war against Hamas and started bombarding Gaza.
The Gaza Strip was home to millions of people. The UN said more than 70% of all housing units have been destroyed, and around 80% have been destroyed in the northern area. The UN said the entire Gazan population is facing a "severe food crisis," escalating the risk of famine and especially impacting vulnerable groups. A UN Special Rapporteur for food also said Israel "has mounted a starvation campaign."
It also said on April 30 that the region's health system was in jeopardy. Only five hospitals in northern Gaza were partially functional, and only six were operational in the southern part of the region.
It said around 86% of schools were damaged, and 72% would need at least major rehabilitation work. It also said around 1.7 million people were displaced across the Gaza Strip, with families having to move multiple times in search of safety.
Around 200 days since the start of the crisis, violence continued flaring across the region.
The UN also said Israeli settler violence was prevalent, and over two days there were 18 incidents involving Israeli settlers. It said armed settlers held Palestinian farmers at gunpoint, seized crops, and assaulted shepherds. In the Jordan Valley, the UN also said settlers entered and tore down Palestinian tents.
Since Oct. 7, Israel has cut off much access to food, water, medicine and electricity in Gaza. On May 7, Israeli forces took control of Gaza's Rafah border crossing, prompting fears of a full-scale invasion of the city after talks in Cairo of a cease-fire with Hamas without any clear agreement.
The Pentagon said Monday that U.S. Army vessels and a U.S. Navy ship were part of an effort to build a floating platform to distribute aid to the Gaza Strip. The Pentagon said the effort would cost around $320 million, and a U.S. military official also said the American Army engineering unit teamed with an Israeli Defense Force engineering unit recently to practice installing parts of the platform, according to the Associated Press.
Aid has been slow to get into Gaza, with backups of trucks waiting for Israeli inspections. The U.S. and other nations used air drops to send food into Gaza, and aid organizations said several hundred trucks of resources are needed per day to fully help the region. With the Rafah crossing captured, Israel gained full control over the entry and exit of people and goods for the first time since it withdrew soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005.