Elizabeth Tsurkov, Princeton Student Held Captive in Iraq, Is Released, Trump Says

The Washington Post

13:43 JST, September 10, 2025

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian dual citizen and Princeton University graduate student who was kidnapped in 2023 by a Shiite militia in Iraq, has been released, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.

“I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton Student, whose sister is an American Citizen, was just released by Kata’ib 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!” the president wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also confirmed Tsurkov’s release in a post on X.

“As a culmination of extensive efforts exerted by our security services over the course of many months, we announce the release of the Russian citizen, Elizabeth Tsurkov. 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,” he wrote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that he has spoken with Tsurkov’s family.

“We will continue to fight with courage and determination until we bring all our hostages home – both the living and the deceased,” he said.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called Tsurkov’s freedom “wonderful news” in a post on X.

“Special thanks to all the partners and especially to U.S. President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump @POTUS, for his commitment to her release,” Herzog added, noting he hopes for similar good news about hostages being held by Hamas soon.

Tsurkov was kidnapped from Karrada, a bustling neighborhood in central Baghdad where she had been conducting interviews. Israeli officials identified her captors as the Shiite militia called Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group that has been linked to other kidnapping attempts involving foreigners.

Her release comes at a turbulent time for the region, as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has spilled into Lebanon, Iran and Yemen. Earlier Tuesday, Israel said it had targeted Hamas political leaders in a strike in Qatar, an attack Kataib Hezbollah condemned in a statement.

A person familiar with the militia’s thinking, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations, said the conditions of Tsurkov’s release included steps toward a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. U.S. troops began a gradual departure from the country under a plan announced by the Pentagon last year.

A senior Iraqi official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomacy, said Kataib Hezbollah was convinced its leaders would be targeted by Israel for assassination, “which is why they eventually gave in,” the official said. “Both sides agreed that her release would spare Iraq from being dragged into the regional conflict.

Israel and Iraq do not share diplomatic relations and have remained in continuous conflict for decades. The Iraqi government this year denounced the displacement of Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza, saying such actions create “a serious threat to the stability of the region and fuel the conflict.”

Tsurkov’s sister, Emma, thanked Trump and U.S. special envoy Adam Boehler, who focuses on hostage negotiations, for securing her release.

“My entire family is incredibly happy,” Emma Tsurkov wrote in a post on X shortly after Trump’s announcement. “We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days.”