Nahr is a young Palestinian woman born in exile in Kuwait. She feels disconnected from her family's homeland but fiercely protective of her relatives. After an unhappy, short-lived early marriage, she turns to the underground world of sex work to support her household and finance her brother's medical education. She is resourceful, outspoken, and finds an important cultural connection through traditional Eastern dance.

Jehad is an intellectually keen young man who studies in Amman and hopes to attend Moscow University. He closely follows geopolitical events and holds strong political convictions regarding the Palestinian cause. He eventually involves himself in clandestine resistance efforts against the occupation, demonstrating immense resolve.

Um Buraq is a middle-aged Iraqi woman living in Kuwait who introduces Nahr to the underground world of sex work. She is viewed as scandalous by the local community because she lives alone and defies traditional gender norms. Pragmatic and independent, she teaches Nahr to view men not as authorities to submit to, but as resources to exploit.

Bilal is a dedicated Palestinian resistance fighter living under Israeli occupation. A trained chemist and thoughtful intellectual, he reads widely and organizes clandestine operations to disrupt the military forces occupying his family's land. He treats Nahr with unexpected kindness and respect, helping her process her difficult past.

Mama is Nahr's mother, a Palestinian refugee who fled Haifa during the mass displacement of 1948. She earns a living as a skilled seamstress, sewing traditional Palestinian thobes for other women in exile. She endures a difficult marriage and the ongoing trauma of displacement while trying to keep her family intact.

Sitti Wasfiyeh is Nahr's grandmother. Her life is permanently shaped by the trauma of seeing Israeli soldiers destroy her family's home in Palestine. Despite being forced into exile in Kuwait, she holds fiercely to her roots and often enforces traditional gender expectations on the younger women in her household.

Mhammad is a young Palestinian dissident who builds an early reputation in the resistance movement. His brief marriage to Nahr is characterized by emotional distance and awkwardness, ending abruptly when he abandons her to return to Palestine, leaving her to face intense societal stigma on her own.

Jumana is a Palestinian resistance fighter who runs a beauty salon hiding a network of underground rooms and tunnels. She works closely with Bilal to coordinate clandestine activities. She initially judges Nahr for her history in sex work, leading to a fiery ideological confrontation between the two women.

Ghassan is a member of Bilal and Jumana's resistance group in Palestine. He participates in organizing operations against the military occupation and relies on the support of his community when targeted by the authorities.

Klara is a Russian woman employed as a guard at the Israeli facility holding Nahr. She was forced to relocate to Israel with her family and harbors a quiet dislike for being there, which allows for brief moments of humanity between her and the prisoners.

Susu is a beautiful young woman who works for Um Buraq in Kuwait. She attends private parties to entertain men, participating in the secretive economy that Um Buraq manages.

Fifi is another young woman employed by Um Buraq in Kuwait's underground nightlife. She attends the same private, high-stakes parties as Nahr.

Jamil is a friend of Mhammad's who acts as a messenger. He brings Nahr the shocking information that her young husband has abandoned her and returned to Palestine.