Minister of Communications Shlomo Karhi addressed the protests and criticism in the media and said that "precisely when we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the weakening voices multiply ... trying to convince us that we are tired, exhausted and desperate."Karhi emphasized that the spirit of the soldiers and the people is strong and that "there is no force in the world that can break our spirit and the healthy desire of the people of Israel to instill in their sons a sense of true peace, and not weakness or surrender disguised as peace."According to Karhi, thanks to the IDF soldiers and the Prime Minister's steadfastness, "we are advancing step by step towards absolute victory and the return of our loved ones."