Iraqi militias have indicated their support for a hostage exchange deal involving Israel and Hezbollah, according to a report by Amwaj Media on Friday.
Sources close to Iraqi Shiite militias told Amwaj that a hostage exchange deal, swapping Israeli-Russian Elizabeth Tsurkov for Hezbollah fighters arrested by the IDF, was beginning to emerge.
The sources indicated that the militias wanted to move forward with the deal but that Israeli intransigence had left the deal in limbo.
They go on to say that Hezbollah is also eager for the swap, desperately needing a victory in the face of its decisive loss to Israel in 2024, Amwaj reported. The Iraqi government is also reportedly keen on the swap in order to further disentangle itself from regional conflicts.
Kidnapped in Iraq
Tsurkov disappeared in March 2023 and was confirmed kidnapped by July. The Prime Minister’s Office blamed Kataib Hezbollah, an organization closely associated with Iran, for the kidnapping.
Despite the close association with Iran, Amwaj reported that there are several indications the kidnapping was unrelated to Iran.
Instead, the sources indicated that the kidnapping may have been a result of intra-Shia rivalry. Tsurkov was researching Kataib’s rivals in the Sadrist movement when she was kidnapped. Amwaj reports the kidnapping may have occurred on the belief Israel was attempting to establish relations with the Sadrists.
Tsurkov was last seen in a video published by her captors soon after the start of the Israel-Hamas War, during which she referenced the war.
Iraqi foreign minister Fouad Hussein reportedly told Axios reporter Barak Ravid on January 23 that Tsurkov was alive and Iraq was working for her release. However, the Iraqi government denied having given the statements only two days later. Iraq’s strict anti-normalization laws mean that if found guilty, one could face life imprisonment or execution.
Corinne Baum contributed to this report.
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