Izzeldin Abuelaish
This Palestinian doctor writes about his difficult, tragic life. Abuelaish is forced to watch his three daughters be murdered in front of him during a three-week war in Gaza. His character is defined by his commitment to non-violence, as the title suggests, even when he is forced to suffer horrible violence from others.
The Jewish women
Throughout the novel, various Jewish women come to Abuelaish for his medical help. Many of them ask if he will deliver their babies, which he does. He works near the border between Gaza and Israel, so his willingness to help the Jewish women is ironic, since the Israelites are afflicting his people. Nevertheless, he refuses to treat the Jewish women with anything but the utmost respect and patience. He barely seems to notice their ethnicity.
The three daughters
Abuelaish has three daughters. He raises them by himself until one day, an Israel bomb crashes through the walls of their home and kills the three daughters, right in front of him. At this point, he has lost everything there is to lose, and he moves to Canada.
