The announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel on Tuesday has brought temporary relief to millions of civilians caught in the crossfire of what President Donald Trump called a “12-day war,” as humanitarian organizations scramble to assess the devastating toll on both populations.
The ceasefire was declared after Iranian state media announced that a truce had been “imposed on the enemy” following what Tehran characterized as its military response to “US aggression.” The announcement came hours after Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks targeted a US base in Qatar, marking an escalation that drew American forces directly into the regional conflict.
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the conflict has claimed at least 865 lives in Iran alone, with 215 military personnel, 363 civilians, and 287 unidentified individuals killed as of June 22. An additional 3,396 people have been wounded in Iranian territory. These figures significantly exceed those provided by Iranian health authorities, who reported 224 deaths and over 2,500 injuries, though both sources emphasize that the majority of casualties were civilians.
The humanitarian crisis in Iran has worsened significantly, with Israeli airstrikes initially focused on military targets now increasingly hitting residential areas and even prisons. The escalation has triggered mass internal displacement, forcing millions to flee their homes. Casualties include aid workers, children with disabilities, and nuclear scientists, underscoring the widespread impact across Iranian society. Iran’s judiciary reported that Israel has also targeted Tehran’s Evin prison, damaging sections of the facility known for holding political detainees.
In Israel, the human cost has been equally tragic, with Iranian missile strikes killing at least 24 civilians and injuring nearly 600 others. The southern city of Beersheba bore the brunt of the most recent Iranian barrage, with emergency services reporting at least three deaths and eight injuries in the early morning hours before the ceasefire took effect. Israeli rescue services continue searching for survivors trapped under rubble from damaged residential buildings.
President Trump revealed that both Israel and Iran had reached out to his administration ‘almost simultaneously’ seeking peace, as his diplomatic and security teams worked through the night to broker the truce. The ceasefire appears to have taken effect around 4 a.m. local time, with Israeli strikes on Iranian cities ceasing shortly before that time, though Israel had intensified its bombardment in the hours leading up to the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet publicly commented on the ceasefire announcement, though reports indicate he convened an emergency Security Cabinet meeting that extended into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Credible reports say that Netanyahu instructed his ministers to refrain from making public statements about the ceasefire agreement.
The conflict’s rapid escalation over 12 days has overwhelmed emergency services in both countries, with hospitals struggling to treat the wounded and rescue teams working to clear debris from damaged buildings. The UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies have called for urgent de-escalation, protection of civilians, and unhindered access to deliver aid to affected populations.
The ceasefire’s durability remains uncertain, as both sides have indicated their willingness to resume hostilities if the other violates the agreement. Iran has stated it will halt its retaliation only if Israel ceases its attacks, while Israeli officials have remained largely silent about the terms of the arrangement. The conflict has demonstrated how quickly regional tensions can escalate into full-scale warfare, with civilian populations bearing the heaviest burden of the violence.
