Israel may swap eight Hezbollah terrorists for kidnapped Israeli researcher

Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was abducted in Iraq nearly two years ago, is expected to be freed soon in exchange for the release of eight Hezbollah terrorists by Israel.

Israel will release eight Hezbollah militants detained since the onset of the conflict, including Imad Ahmaz, a high-ranking member of the terrorist group’s naval force, who was captured in a special operation by Shayetet 13 around three months ago, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein informed Axios last week that Elizabeth Tsurkov is still alive, two weeks after her abduction by a Shi'ite militia in Baghdad. He emphasized that Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani is actively working towards securing her release.

Tsurkov, 36, holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship and was living in the US while pursuing her doctorate at Princeton University. It is believed that she is being held by the Iranian-backed militia "Kataeb Hezbollah (KH)." 

In July 2023, it was confirmed that Elizabeth Tsurkov, who had been missing for four months, was being detained by the Shia militia.

At the time, the Prime Minister's Office stated: "We hold Iraq responsible for her safety and well-being. She is an academic who visited Iraq on her Russian passport, at her own initiative pursuant to work on her doctorate and academic research on behalf of Princeton University in the US. "The matter is being handled by the relevant parties in the State of Israel out of concern for Elizabeth Tsurkov's security and well-being."

Irena, Tsurkov's mother, claimed to Channel 13: "No government official contacted me, they didn't update me about anything. The last time I heard from her was two months ago in Türkiye, and she said everything was fine and she wasn't available because she had no reception. I don't understand what happened, suddenly, the press started talking to me." 

Earlier, Israel agreed to release 200 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for four hostages held by Hamas. 

The Palestinian Commission for Prisoners' Affairs made the announcement on Facebook, confirming that the list of prisoners set for release includes 121 individuals sentenced to life imprisonment and 79 others who have received lengthy sentences in Israeli prisons.

This prisoner exchange is part of the broader ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, which went into effect on January 19. The ceasefire saw an initial step taken that evening, as Palestinian factions released the first group of hostages, which included three individuals. In return, Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ongoing agreement. 

The deal between Hamas and Israel was reached following intense mediation efforts from Qatar, Egypt, and the US. Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, officially announced on January 15 that the ceasefire agreement and the hostages’ release were the result of successful negotiations facilitated by Doha, Cairo, and Washington.

This agreement, which is structured to unfold in phases, will last for 42 days. In the first phase, Hamas has agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages, while Israel is expected to free a corresponding number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. The two sides are continuing to negotiate further terms as the ceasefire remains in effect.

By Naila Huseynova