US President Donald Trump announced that Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov has been freed in Iraq. She was held by the Iranian-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah.
It kidnapped Tsurkov in March 2023, and she was held hostage for over 900 days. The Trump administration decided to prioritize trying to free her.
Tsurkov’s sister, Emma Tsurkov, campaigned tirelessly to bring her home. The sister even confronted Iran’s prime minister during his visit to Washington in 2024, demanding that Tsurkov be freed.
Trump’s administration has been a game-changer in terms of bringing hostages home. It has brought many Americans back, seeking to do the same for Israelis.
Tsurkov is an Israeli and a Russian citizen.
“I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released by Kataib Hezbollah (MILITANT Hezbollah), and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months. I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW,” Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday.
That day was already a momentous one because of the unprecedented Israeli strike on Hamas in Doha. Now, the freeing of Tsurkov has made it an even more important day.
“My entire family is incredibly happy,” Tsurkov’s sister wrote on social media. “We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days. We are so thankful to President Trump and his Special Envoy [for Hostage Response], Adam Boehler.”
Boehler had worked hard to get Tsurkov freed from Iraq.
T<strong>surkov family welcomes Elizabeth home</strong>
“If Adam had not made my sister’s return his personal mission, I do not know where we would be. We also want to thank Josh Harris and his team at the US Embassy in Baghdad for the support they provided to our sister and the team at the nonprofit Global Reach, who advocated relentlessly for my sister’s safe return,” Emma wrote.
Iraq had not been forthcoming in freeing Tsurkov. Kataib Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq. It is also part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, which is a group of militants.
Furthermore, the PMF is an official paramilitary force in Iraq, meaning it receives funding from the state and functions as one of its arms. The fact that Tsurkov could be kidnapped in Baghdad and held there for 900 days, and that the Iraqi government refused to find her, is a stain on Baghdad.
The Iraqi prime minister and other officials have informed the United States that they are searching for her. However, they could have freed Tsurkov. The weakening of the Iranian axis over the last year may have contributed to her freedom.
Importantly, the Iraqi government wants to please the US. It does not wish for high tariffs to be imposed on it. Baghdad wants other deals from Washington.
As such, it was in Iraq’s best interests to do the right thing. However, for the better part of 2025, it claimed that it was trying to do something while doing nothing.
Kataib Hezbollah had released a video of Tsurkov after Hamas’s October 7 massacre. The footage proved that the researcher was still alive. Yet, the Iraqis did not do anything in 2024 to help her.
Baghdad claimed to have tasked various individuals to assist in the negotiations for her release. Kataib Hezbollah, meanwhile, made all sorts of demands.
Iraqi officials were in contact with the US, and these interactions increased in January with the arrival of Trump in office. By May 2025, though, the reports that a breakthrough was near had ended.
As spring turned to summer, many were despondent. Then came the Israel-Iran 12-day war in June. By July, it was clear that there might be a new pressure point: US tariffs.
On August 2, I wrote about the possibility that tariffs might help. Emma noted that Iraq could do the right thing and finally release her sister. However, more days went by, and nothing advanced.
Tsurkov’s initial kidnapping in March 2023 was not disclosed for months. In fact, it appeared to be a closely guarded secret for a while. It was likely that some thought that if it was downplayed, then she might be released.
Nevertheless, Kataib Hezbollah did not budge. Eventually, publications found out, and in July 2023, the Prime Minister’s Office said that “Elizabeth Tsurkov is an Israeli Russian dual citizen who has been missing in Iraq for several months and is being held by the Shi’ite militia Kataib Hezbollah.”
The PMO further said at the time, “Tsurkov is still alive. We hold Iraq responsible for her safety and well-being. She is an academic who visited Iraq on her Russian passport, at her own initiative, to conduct doctoral research and academic work on behalf of Princeton University in the US.”
“The matter is being handled by the relevant parties in the State of Israel out of concern for Tsurkov’s security and well-being,” it added.
In October, 250 Israelis were taken hostage, and this became a significant priority for Israel, adding to the challenge of trying to free Tsurkov from Iraq.
Her release is an essential step for the US and Iraq. Baghdad may receive something in return. It is not clear why Kataib Hezbollah decided to change its position. Perhaps it is afraid that, eventually, the long arm that has struck other Iranian proxies will come for it one day.
Maybe other wheels are in motion. Iraq is already in the spotlight because the war on ISIS is winding down, and US troops are possibly moving primarily to Kurdistan’s autonomous region.
There are many issues involved. What matters is that the efforts of Emma Tsurkov, Adam Boehler, the Trump administration, and many others behind the scenes finally resulted in freedom for Tsurkov.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.