Family of Israeli held in Iraq said to meet hostage coordinators as efforts to free her ramp up

Family members of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli researcher held in captivity in Iraq since her abduction in 2023, met yesterday with the government’s point man on hostages, Gal Hirsch, and with foreign coordinators of the issue who are visiting Israel, Hebrew media reports say.

The Israel Hayom daily cites unnamed officials familiar with the details as saying the goal is to advance indirect talks with Baghdad to free Tsurkov, noting that this is the first public evidence of efforts by Jerusalem to secure her release via mediators.

The newspaper quotes an unnamed senior diplomatic official as voicing hope that recent positive regional developments, including the decision by Iran-backed Iraqi militias to stop launching attacks on Israel, “will also create the opportunity to bring Elizabeth home.”