After 903 harrowing days in captivity, Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli academic and Princeton University doctoral student, has finally returned to safety. Her release, announced on September 9, 2025, by U.S. President Donald Trump, marks the end of a complex, multi-national ordeal that gripped her family, mobilized governments, and drew global attention to the dangers faced by researchers in conflict zones.
Tsurkov’s ordeal began in March 2023, when she disappeared in Baghdad while conducting field research for her doctoral studies. According to i24NEWS and The Media Line, she had recently undergone back surgery and was scheduled to have her stitches removed just two days after her abduction. The 36-year-old, born in Israel to Russian parents, was a noted expert on Syria and Iraq, fluent in Arabic, and a critic of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians. Her academic pursuits had taken her across the Middle East, including to countries with deep hostilities toward Israel.
The group responsible for her abduction was Kata’ib Hezbollah, a powerful Shiite militia in Iraq with close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The U.S. government has designated Kata’ib Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, citing its history of attacks on American forces and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Despite the gravity of the situation, the group never publicly claimed responsibility for Tsurkov’s kidnapping, and the Iraqi government refrained from formally naming the captors. The only confirmed sign of life during her captivity was a propaganda video aired on Iraqi television in November 2023 and circulated on pro-Iranian social media, as reported by The Media Line and The New York Times. Human rights organizations have condemned such hostage videos as violations of international humanitarian law.
Tsurkov’s family, particularly her sister Emma, played a pivotal role in keeping her case in the public eye. Emma Tsurkov spent years campaigning for her sister’s release, meeting with U.S. officials and leveraging media attention. In a heartfelt message after the release, Emma wrote, “This is an incredibly joyful moment for our family. We cannot wait to hold Elizabeth again and give her the love we’ve been holding onto for 903 days.” She extended gratitude to President Trump and Adam Boehler, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, for their efforts in securing Elizabeth’s freedom.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement came via Truth Social, his preferred platform for major statements. He wrote, “Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months.” Trump also used the occasion to demand the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, stating, “I will always fight for justice and never give up. Hamas, release the hostages, now!” (i24NEWS, The Media Line).
The diplomatic effort to free Tsurkov was extensive and involved multiple actors. The Trump administration, after returning to office in January 2025, prioritized her case. According to Al-Monitor and Reuters, U.S. special hostage envoy Adam Boehler traveled to Iraq in February 2025 to press for her release. The Israeli and Iraqi governments also confirmed her release, though neither provided details about the circumstances or whether any concessions were made to Kata’ib Hezbollah. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani acknowledged the “extensive efforts exerted by our security services,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to Tsurkov’s family to share the good news.
Tsurkov’s abduction and subsequent release occurred against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions. The war in Gaza and escalating confrontations between Israel and Iran-backed armed groups have made the Middle East an especially perilous environment for researchers, journalists, and aid workers. Iraq, in particular, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and considers normalization with the country illegal. Tsurkov had entered Iraq using her Russian passport, a detail confirmed by the Iraqi government, underscoring the risks faced by dual nationals and the lengths to which researchers must sometimes go to pursue their work.
Elizabeth Tsurkov’s academic credentials are formidable. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, master’s degrees in Middle Eastern studies from Tel Aviv University and political science from the University of Chicago, and was pursuing her doctorate at Princeton University. Her research focused on the 2011 Syrian uprising and the subsequent civil war, and she had previously worked for an Israeli group advocating for Palestinian rights in Gaza (The New York Times).
The campaign for Tsurkov’s release was not an isolated case for the Trump administration in 2025. Earlier in the year, Israeli American Edan Alexander was freed from captivity in Gaza after the U.S. struck a deal with Hamas, and ten Americans were released in a prisoner swap involving Venezuela and El Salvador in July. In February, American schoolteacher Marc Fogel was released from a Russian prison after negotiations with the Kremlin. These successes, while celebrated, highlight the persistent dangers faced by dual nationals and foreign researchers in volatile regions.
The Iraqi government, for its part, has been keen to project an image of law and order. Prime Minister al-Sudani stated, “We reaffirm, once again, that we will not tolerate any compromise in enforcing the law and upholding the authority of the state, nor will we allow anyone to undermine the reputation of Iraq and its people.” Yet, Tsurkov’s family has previously criticized Iraqi authorities, arguing they had done little to secure her freedom from Kata’ib Hezbollah, according to The New York Times.
For now, the focus shifts to Tsurkov’s recovery and the broader implications of her release. Her case underscores the perils of academic research in conflict zones and the importance of international cooperation in securing the freedom of hostages. It also serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing risks posed by armed groups in the region, not only for foreign nationals but for local populations as well.
Elizabeth Tsurkov’s safe return brings a measure of relief to her family and supporters. Yet, the questions surrounding her captivity—why she was released now, what negotiations took place, and what her experience reveals about the shifting dynamics in Iraq—remain largely unanswered. As her family finally prepares to embrace her after nearly two and a half years of anguish, her story stands as both a testament to resilience and a cautionary tale for those who venture into the world’s most dangerous places in pursuit of knowledge.