Interrupting the main 8 p.m. newscast in Israel on Tuesday night, Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defence Forces’ chief spokesperson, looked into the camera and announced that the bodies of six hostages had been recovered from Gaza.

Hagari has been facing Israelis for 10 months now, during some of the most horrific moments in the country’s history. He has done so with steely composure, but never lacking compassion. On Tuesday, he confirmed that the bodies of six men — Alex Dancyg, 75, Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metzger, 80, Avraham Munder, 78, Yagev Buchshtav, 35, and Nadav Popplewell, 51 — had been returned to Israel.