Shafaq News / Iraqi media affiliated with Shiite armed groups recently disseminated a video featuring the kidnapped Israeli-Russian academic, Elizabeth Tsurkov. In this footage, Tsurkov confessed to working for Mossad and American intelligence in Iraq and Syria.
Speaking in Hebrew in the video, Tsurkov admitted, "I worked for Mossad and the CIA. In Syria, my role was to foster relations between Syria and the SDF in the northeast of the country. I visited Syria in 2022 in my capacity as an operative for Mossad and the CIA."
Tsurkov elaborated on her actions in Iraq, orchestrating demonstrations to incite Shiite-Shiite conflict within the country. Additionally, she commented on the situation in Gaza, condemning Israeli military actions targeting women, children, and hospitals, claiming that these policies only fuel hatred between Palestinians and Israelis, hindering any prospects for peace in Gaza.
She urged the families of the Israeli hostages in Gaza to mobilize against Netanyahu's government, striving to halt the war that could potentially lead to the deaths of their captive children.
Despite serving Israel, Tsurkov claimed that the Israeli government has not taken steps to rescue her during her seven-month detainment since her capture in Baghdad last March. The New York Times reported that the video's authenticity hasn't been verified, suggesting Tsurkov is still alive.
The footage, recorded after October 7, focused on the hostages held by Hamas, estimated by the Israeli government to be over 240 individuals. Tsurkov's abduction was officially revealed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah Brigades of kidnapping her last July, while no group claimed responsibility.
According to Israeli news channel 12, Tsurkov initiated a meeting with her captors in Iraq as part of her doctoral dissertation preparation, which centered on Shiite movements in Iraq, particularly the prominent cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's group.
Tsurkov personally contacted an Iraqi religious figure, Ahmed Alwani, seeking a meeting with his cousin, Mohammed Alwani, a senior figure in Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq, leading to her abduction after they discovered her Israeli identity.
Aged 36, Tsurkov, a Middle East analyst and Princeton University doctoral student, entered Iraq late last year using her Russian passport before her disappearance in March, according to Times of Israel.
During the same month, the Iraqi government initiated an investigation into the kidnapping, following Israel's plea for Tsurkov's safety, while the office of the Israeli Prime Minister held Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq accountable for the incident.
Tsurkov states on her personal website that she is fluent in English, Hebrew, Russian, and Arabic. Her website further indicates her affiliations with the Institute for National Security Studies and the Regional Thinking Forum, an Israeli-Palestinian intellectual institution based in Jerusalem.