The book of Kings describes the palace of King Ahab—who ruled over the Northern Kingdom of Israel (also known as Samaria) in the 9th century BCE—as an “ivory house.” Drawing on textual and archaeological evidence, Rupert Chapman argues that this palace was of a type, known as a bit hilani (literally, “a house of windows”), then common in parts of what is now Syria. Megan Sauter explains how this theory illuminates a particular biblical passage:

Since a bit hilani must contain a window (or windows) for its name to make sense, some scholars have proposed that the window(s) in question were clerestory windows (i.e., windows near the ceiling). However, Chapman has another interpretation. He believes that the bit hilani [took its name from the presence of] a “window of appearances” above the palace’s entrance. From this window, kings and queens would show themselves to the people standing below. This is akin to what the [British] royal family still does from Buckingham Palace’s balcony. . . .

This identification also sheds light on Queen Jezebel’s death as recounted in 2Kings 9:30-37. When Jezebel (the widow of King Ahab) hears that Jehu, who had [just killed her husband and] usurped the throne, is approaching the palace, she “painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window.” At Jehu’s command, Jezebel is thrown from this “window” and killed. Now we can better envision this scene as taking place at a “window of appearances.”

Between December 27 and January 6, terrorists in Gaza fired rockets at Israel almost every night. On Monday, one rocket struck a home in the much-bombarded town of Sderot, although no one was injured. The rocket fire had largely halted last spring, and for some time barrages were often the result of Israeli forces closing in a Hamas unit or munitions depot. But the truth—which gives credence to Ran Baratz’s argument in his January essay that the IDF is struggling to accomplish its mission—is that Hamas has been able to rebuild. Yoni Ben Menachem writes that the jihadist group has been “producing hundreds of new rockets using lathes smuggled into tunnels that remain operational in Gaza.” Moreover, it has been replenishing its ranks:

According to Israeli security officials, Hamas has recruited approximately 4,000 new fighters over the past month. This rapid expansion bolsters its fighting capabilities and complicates Israel’s efforts to apply military pressure on Hamas to expedite a hostage deal. Hamas’s military recovery has allowed it to prolong its war of attrition against the IDF and adopt tougher stances in hostage negotiations. The funds for this recruitment effort are reportedly from the sale of humanitarian-aid packages, which Hamas forcibly seizes and resells in Gaza’s markets.

In fact, Ben Menachem writes, Hamas’s rocket fire is part of the same strategy:

By firing rockets, Hamas seeks to demonstrate its resilience and operational capability despite the IDF’s prolonged offensive. This message is aimed at both Gaza’s residents and the Israeli public, underscoring that Hamas remains a significant force even after enduring heavy losses [and] that Israel cannot easily occupy this region, currently a focal point of IDF operations.