Princeton grad student kidnapped for over 900 days in Iraq has been released, Trump says

A Princeton University doctoral student who was kidnapped by a militia group in Iraq in 2023 and was held for more than 900 days has been released, President Trump announced Tuesday. 

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli and Russian citizen whose sister is an American citizen, is now safe at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq after she had been held captive by the Iran-backed, U.S.-designated terrorist group Kata’ib Hezbollah, Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post. 

“I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!” the president wrote, referring to the terrorist organization Hamas that’s holding 48 hostages, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, who were taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 

“My entire family is incredibly happy. We cannot wait to see Elizabeth and give her all the love we have been waiting to share for 903 days,” Tsurkov’s sister Emma said Tuesday in a statement, The Associated Press reported.

In a statement to CBS News on Tuesday, Princeton President Christopher L. Eisgruber said, “The release of Princeton graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov brings relief and joy to the University community, and we celebrate that she will be reunited with her family.” 

“We thank President Trump for securing Elizabeth’s release. We are also grateful to those who worked tirelessly to bring an end to her terrible ordeal, including her family, friends and advocates,” Eisgruber said.

In addition to her studies at the Ivy League school, Tsurkov was a fellow at the Washington-based think tank New Lines Institute and wrote for New Lines Magazine before her kidnapping.

Tsurkov has over a decade of experience working with human rights organizations in the Middle East, according to colleagues. She was also a fellow at the American think tank Foreign Policy Research Institute.

Aliza Chasan

contributed to this report.