Hezbollah prisoners in Israel: Negotiations may involve militias in Iraq and the release of Tsurkov

BEIRUT — Ongoing negotiations between Iraq, Hezbollah, and Israel for the release of prisoners, announced as part of the extension of the cease-fire terms in Lebanon, could involve pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and lead to the release, notably, of Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli doctoral student at Princeton University who was kidnapped nearly two years ago by pro-Iran militias in Iraq.

Amwaj, a news outlet covering Iran, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula, cited sources in Iraq and Lebanon as having said a list of prisoner names was reportedly sent by Hezbollah to Lebanese authorities, launching the process of negotiating their release. Among them is Imad Amhaz, a Lebanese commercial ship captain who was dramatically abducted by an Israeli commando in Batroun, in early November 2024. Six other people's names also appear on the list, all kidnapped in South Lebanon: one in Blida and five in Aita al-Shaab.

A source close to Hezbollah, however, indicated that the exact number of people taken captive by Israel is not known for certain, seeing as there are many still missing under the rubble in southern Lebanon.

No Israeli commitment yet

Informed sources in Baghdad and Beirut, requesting anonymity, told Amwaj Media that a proposal for exchanging Iraqi prisoners could involve Israel releasing captured Hezbollah fighters and Captain Amhaz in exchange for researcher Tsurkov, who holds dual Israeli-Russian nationality.

“The researcher's kidnappers have expressed their willingness to proceed with the exchange,” explained a high-ranking Iraqi source close to the Shiite armed groups, “but Israel apparently has not yet made a commitment, leaving the presumed proposal in limbo.”

The Amwaj Media report describes a potential exchange as “a much-needed symbolic achievement” following the devastating war with Israel. "A release of Ms. Tsurkov would also be welcomed by the Baghdad government, which seeks to keep Iraq out of a regional conflagration, even if the outcome would be a political victory for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”

The prospect of a three-way exchange between Israel and Iran's allies in Iraq and Lebanon has appeared more likely following two key developments facilitated by the Trump administration: the cease-fire in Gaza and the recent prisoner exchange between Iran and Italy, Amwaj observes, estimating that “the fate of the researcher could have repercussions on a broader regional political scene undergoing changes.” In the talks preceding the extension of the cease-fire in Lebanon, Beirut demanded that this truce conclude with the release of Lebanese prisoners detained by Israeli forces.

Iraq working toward Tsurkov's release

Tsurkov's kidnapping was announced by Israel in early July 2023. The young student had entered Iraq presumably with a Russian passport and was kidnapped in the Iraqi capital at the end of March of the same year. On Jan. 23, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein told Axios that the researcher was "alive" and that "Iraq is working to secure her release."

In November 2024, Iraqi television channel al-Rabiaa broadcasted the first video of the hostage since her abduction. Tsurkov stated in the video that she had worked for the Israeli intelligence service Mossad and the American CIA, in Syria and Iraq. At the end of the video, she expressed that nothing had been undertaken to obtain her release.

According to the daily Haaretz, Israel has intensified its diplomatic efforts to secure her release. Israel's coordinator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, met at the beginning of the month with Tsurkov's family in Israel, as well as his counterparts from Austria, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.