Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov expressed gratitude on Friday to those who helped secure her release from captivity in Iraq, in her first public remarks since being freed last month.
“Finally, blessedly, free after 903 days in captivity. Thank you, President Donald Trump, for the decisive action that brought me home without anything given in return to the kidnappers,” wrote Tsurkov.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who tried to help in any way,” she added.
Trump announced on Sept. 9 that Tsurkov, 38, an Israeli born to Russian parents who was kidnapped from Baghdad two years ago, had been freed.
“I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton student, whose sister is an American citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah” and is now “safely in the American embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months,” the president wrote on Truth Social.
Tsurkov, who is Jewish, was kidnapped by the Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militia Kata’ib Hezbollah (“The Battalions of the Party of God”) in March 2023 while conducting research in Baghdad for her doctoral dissertation.
In a separate Hebrew-language tweet on Thursday, Tsurkov wrote: “Special thanks to the amazing medical teams for their dedicated care. Thanks to everyone who worked for my release from captivity. I have no words to describe the feeling of happiness to be free and with my family. All the hostages and their families deserve to experience this feeling.”
Tsurkov arrived in Israel on Sept. 10, a day after the Leningrad-born graduate student was released.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with Tsurkov and her brother David, the Prime Minister’s Office said. According to the statement, Tsurkov thanked Netanyahu and all those who worked for her release, described the harsh conditions she endured in captivity, and voiced hope for the return of all remaining hostages.
Netanyahu welcomed Tsurkov home, wishing her a full recovery, and emphasized that “great efforts were invested over a long period” to secure her return.
