Hezbollah officer traded for Israeli scholar held in Iraq, reports claim
Iranian media says senior Hezbollah operative freed in exchange for Elizabeth Tsurkov; Lebanese press cites Iraqi mediation, fears of Israeli strikes
BAGHDAD, Iraq (MNTV) — Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov has returned home after more than two years in captivity in Iraq, though the details of her release remain disputed, with reports suggesting a covert prisoner swap involving Hezbollah and mediation by Baghdad.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday that Tsurkov was exchanged for two members of the “resistance,” including Imad Amhaz, a senior Hezbollah naval officer captured by Israeli commandos in northern Lebanon in late 2023.
Amhaz was seized in a Shayetet 13 special forces raid near Batrun, about 140 kilometers north of Israel, in what Arabic-language outlets described as a major intelligence coup.
Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, affiliated with Hezbollah, downplayed the swap narrative, instead describing the outcome as the product of “complex understandings” led by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani.
According to unnamed sources, Iraq sought assurances that it would not face Israeli or U.S. military retaliation, while Israel reportedly threatened to target dozens of sites inside Iraq if Tsurkov was not freed.
Observers also linked the deal’s timing to Israel’s strike in Qatar on the same day, which targeted senior Hamas figures, reported Arab News.
A representative of the Shiite militias told Al-Akhbar that the release formed part of “de-escalation agreements,” stressing that their military capabilities remained intact.
He acknowledged, however, that Israeli threats had increased pressure on all parties to compromise.
Analysts warn that while the release marks a breakthrough, Iraq remains vulnerable to future Israeli actions amid ongoing tensions with Iranian-backed militias demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Tsurkov, 38, a Princeton University doctoral student and Israeli national with Russian citizenship, was abducted in Baghdad in March 2023 while conducting academic research.
She was believed to have been held by Kataib Hezbollah, though the group denied responsibility.
She landed in Israel on Wednesday, arriving at Ben-Gurion Airport before being transferred to Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.
Limping and in visible pain, she was placed in an isolated ward under protocols used for freed hostages from Gaza.
Medical staff said she is undergoing examinations and treatment for severe back pain linked to prior spinal surgery, a condition worsened during captivity.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed her release earlier this week, writing on Truth Social that Tsurkov had been tortured during her detention and was initially transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad before returning to Israel.
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