Israeli Hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov Freed After 903 Days in Captivity

After more than 900 days in captivity, Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov has been freed from the grip of Iran-backed terrorists in Baghdad and is now safe inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Iraq.

Tsurkov, a Princeton-affiliated researcher abducted in 2023 by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S., was released following months of strategic pressure and international coordination. Former President Donald Trump announced the news on Truth Social, celebrating her freedom and calling on Hamas to follow suit and release all Israeli hostages.

Her release is not just a personal victory it’s a major diplomatic milestone. Israeli officials had long assessed that Tsurkov was being held by Kataib Hezbollah, guiding a behind-the-scenes campaign that combined U.S. diplomatic leverage with Israeli intelligence channels, even in the absence of formal ties between Jerusalem and Baghdad.

This case illustrates how carefully coordinated efforts between allies can pierce the web of Tehran’s proxy terror network. In recent months, Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler visited Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, warning that failure to act would carry significant political and economic consequences.

Earlier this year, Iraq’s foreign minister acknowledged that Tsurkov was alive and efforts were underway to free her an indication that despite the opacity, lines of communication were open between the Iraqi government and its powerful militia landscape.

This success shatters the perceived impunity of Iranian-backed militias and signals to their leadership that the international community is watching and capable of acting.

For Israel, this is a rare win amid a brutal season of hostage diplomacy. Tsurkov’s safe recovery strengthens Israel’s moral and strategic case for maintaining maximum pressure on groups holding Israelis in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond.

Tsurkov disappeared in Baghdad while conducting approved academic fieldwork. Her only proof of life came via a chilling hostage video released months into her captivity. The fact that she survived nearly two and a half years in the custody of one of Iran’s most feared terror proxies makes her release all the more significant.

The broader message here is powerful: Israel and its allies are not backing down. They are confronting Tehran’s proxy network with coordinated resolve, using every diplomatic, economic, and strategic tool available.

Tsurkov will soon be extracted from Iraq for urgent medical care and debriefing. Meanwhile, Israel will continue pushing for the release of every Israeli held by terror groups be it in Iraq, Gaza, or anywhere else Iran's influence reaches.

Israel remains committed to bringing its citizens home no matter how far they are held or how powerful the forces behind their captivity. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed and stand with Israel.