Emma Tsurkov, the sister of Elizabeth Tsurkov, met with US hostage envoy Adam Boehler, she announced on social media Saturday.
Tsurkov has been held captive by Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq for over two years after the Russian-Israeli student traveled to the country.
Discussing my sister (and Princeton student) @elizrael —held hostage in Iraq for over 2 years. Her captors, Kataib Hezbollah, must be held accountable by Al Sudani @mohamedshia. They should consider what became of Hamas. @aboehler #FreeElizabethTsurkov pic.twitter.com/vnASpu4khs
— Emma Tsurkov #FreeElizabeth (@emma_tsurkov) May 16, 2025
"They should consider what became of Hamas," Emma warned, speaking of her sister's captors.
Elizabeth was kidnapped in Baghdad in March 2023. A few months later, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed: “Elizabeth Tsurkov is an Israeli-Russian dual citizen who has been missing in Iraq for several months and is being held by the Shi’ite militia Kataib Hezbollah.”
Spotlight on Tsurkov case after October 7
After the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Kataib Hezbollah made a video of Tsurkov in captivity and sent it to local media.
Since Trump won the presidential election, there has been an increased spotlight on her case, and Iraq’s government has claimed several times in recent months that it is trying to locate her.
Kataib Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy and part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units, a group of pro-Iranian militias that also serve as an official paramilitary group in Iraq.