Elizabeth Tsurkov

Elizabeth Tsurkov (Hebrew: אליזבט צורקוב, Russian: Елизавета Цуркова; born November 11, 1986) l is an Israeli-Russian academic and political analyst, known for her research on Middle East conflicts, humanitarian issues, and democratic movements. In 2023, she was abducted by the Islamic Iranian-backed Shiite terrorist group Kata'ib Hezbollah in Baghdad, Iraq, while conducting fieldwork for her Ph.D. dissertation at Princeton University. Her kidnapping drew international condemnation and became a symbol of the dangers Israeli citizens face while engaging in academic and humanitarian work in hostile regions.

Background

Tsurkov was born in Israel to Russian immigrant parents. She became known in academic and policy circles for her in-depth analyses of Syria, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. As a dual citizen of Israel and Russia, she leveraged her linguistic and regional expertise in the service of both scholarship and advocacy for human rights and democratic freedoms.

Kidnapping and Captivity

In 2023, Tsurkov was on a research trip to Iraq At the beginning of March 2023, she underwent an emergency surgery in Iraq to treat severe spinal cord injury. Two weeks later, on March 26, while recovering from the surgery, her apartment was kidnapped in Iraq along with her partner, an Iraqi researcher. At first, Iraqi security services were held, and then transferred to the Shiite militia Kata'ib Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization with strong ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Despite entering Iraq on her Russian passport, Tsurkov was targeted only due to her Israeli identity. She was held in harsh conditions and subjected to prolonged torture, sexually assaulted.

Her abduction highlighted the growing reach of Iranian proxy militias and the increasing risks faced by Israelis and Jews abroad, especially in unstable or hostile regions.

International Response

Her disappearance triggered a sustained diplomatic and intelligence effort, primarily led by Israel and the United States. Israel, although having no diplomatic ties with Iraq, worked discreetly to gather intelligence. Meanwhile, the U.S., which maintains a military and diplomatic presence in Iraq, was involved in negotiations and pressure campaigns for her release.

Human rights organizations and academic institutions around the world called for her freedom, emphasizing the importance of protecting scholars and civilians in conflict zones.

Release

On September 9, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that Tsurkov had been freed after more than two years in captivity. He stated that she was now "safely in the American embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months."

President Trump also used the moment to highlight the plight of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered and over 250 were kidnapped.

Legacy

Tsurkov’s ordeal became emblematic of the complex threats Israelis face abroad, particularly in areas under the influence of Iran-backed militias. Her release was celebrated in Israel and among supporters of academic freedom, and she is expected to continue her work in the field of Middle East studies, with renewed focus on the human cost of Islamic extremism and terrorism and Iran head of terror snake relentlessness.

See also

• Kata'ib Hezbollah
• Hamas
• Hostage-taking by Palestinian and Iranian proxies
• October 7 War
• Iran proxies