US Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler said that "there's no feeling like seeing someone freed and realizing it actually happened" after the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov late in an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
Tsurkov, an Israeli citizen and Princeton doctoral student, was abducted in Iraq in March 2023 by the Kataib Hezbollah militia. “I felt a mixture of relief, an overwhelming rush of emotion - because you work so hard, and because you truly come to know the hostage," Boehler told the Post.
Boehler, who spearheaded months of intensive efforts, played a central role in securing Tsurkov's release. “The United States did not give anything in return for Tsurkov’s release,” he stressed. “What happened, we believe, is that on Friday, the president signed an executive order stating that the US will impose repercussions—determined by the president—on anyone who takes an ally or an American hostage. We believe her release came in direct response to that.”
In a special interview with the Post, Boehler revealed new details about the behind-the-scenes work that led to Tsurkov’s freedom. “My understanding from what she told us is that she was tortured. Life in captivity was not easy. We didn’t go into detail at that first moment—it’s important she has time to recover, just like every hostage, and that Israel can heal as well. But from what she said, I believe she was tortured.”
Boehler maintained close coordination with Israel’s Hostage and Missing Persons Coordinator, Gal Hirsch, who handled the case from the Israeli side. He was also in direct contact with Tsurkov’s family. “We brought her into the US Embassy. She was extremely emotional, very appreciative of the president," Boehler recalls.
“I was there when she and her sister Emma spoke for the first time in a very long while. They were both crying. It was a wonderful moment. I felt happy because in these roles, you feel the pain and the relief that Israel feels. It’s a small country, people know each other, and everyone is touched by these cases.”
Boehler was prepared to threaten Kataib Hezbollah, press Iraqi government
Boehler made clear that he was prepared to threaten the terror group and to press the Iraqi government to secure Tsurkov’s freedom. “The release happened because everyone understood—when President Trump threatens, he is serious. Hamas should understand this as well,” he adds.
“These are terrorists holding people. It’s the exact same dynamic. The reality is the president is going to keep fighting. He has done it across the board—for all Americans, and he has made it clear he will continue to fight for Israelis too. We still have two American citizens in Gaza, and he has instructed us to keep working until all the hostages are home.”