Eid Without a Timeout
by Hala Al-Zinati
Genre: Poetry
Written by Hala Al-Zinati and narrated by Carice van Houten
This audio Copyright ©2025 by Hala Al-Zinati
Part of the GAZA: heard series of poems, written by inhabitants of Gaza, read by acting talents from stage and screen
Written by Hala Al-Zinati in Gaza, narrated by Game of Thrones actor Carice van Houten, Holiday Without a Timeout tells of the power of motherhood during a time of genocide.
With special thanks to the Qattan Foundation, a charity operating in Gaza, for connecting us with some of the most talented creatives among us.
about the author
Hala Al-Zinati is a Palestinian writer from the city of Khan Yunis in Gaza.
She is a member of the Palestinian Writers and Authors Association and is a winner of competitions at local and national level.
Hala’s most notable writings include the stories About the Knight Who Lost His Horse, and Dawn on the Collar of Birth, and the poem Five in the Morning, available as an audio/video poem narrated by the actress Nada Tawhid.
Hala finds inspiration in the life and circumstances surrounding her in Gaza:
“I write to express national and humanitarian issues.”
about the narrator
Carice van Houten is a Dutch actress and five-time Golden Calf Award (Best Actress) winner. She began her career in the films Suzy Q and Miss Minoes and played the role of Rachel Stein in Paul Verhoeven's 2006 film Black Book, the most commercially successful Dutch film to date.
Carice is best known internationally for her roles in the hit series Game of Thrones (for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award), the TV series Dangerous Liaisons, and the films Valkyrie, Instinct, Black Butterflies, Black Death, and Brimstone.
Carice uses her voice to raise awareness of human and environmental rights issues, including the genocide in Gaza.
You can find Carice on Instagram at @leavecaricealone
about the artist
The cover for "Eid Without a Timeout" was created by Palestinian artist Shahd Rajab, with input from the author. You can discover more about Shahd and her life in Gaza below.
"I'm the Palestinian artist Shahd Rajab from Gaza City.
I'm 21 years old and currently studying at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.
I love art and coffee.
I have practiced drawing as a hobby since childhood. Life completely stopped since the beginning of the 2023 war until this day. I have nothing left but my artistic talent to express what’s inside me and share it with the world.
I have lived through many wars since 2008 in the Gaza Strip, which has been under siege for years. I have experienced all kinds of suffering, including displacement: my family and I have been displaced more than 20 times across the small Gaza Strip, from south to north and from east to west, fleeing death as well as famine, thirst, genocide, fear, killing, homelessness, and much more.
I have created more than 150 artworks during the war, and I am still drawing."
Find out more about Shahd and see her artwork on Instagram at @shahd_rajab51
At the time of writing, Bibliophone does not generate a revenue and is run by a small team of volunteers. We don't need money but there are people now, more than ever, who will really benefit from it. If you enjoy Shahd's artwork and you'd like to support her, please consider a donation to her Gofundme page