From Tsurkov to Imad Amhaz: How did the secret prisoner exchange with Iraqi Hezbollah take place?

Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special

**Arab Sea - Follow-ups:** **Iraqi and Lebanese diplomatic sources have revealed details of a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and the Iraqi "Hezbollah" that is expected to be completed, after the release of the Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, in exchange for a possible release by Tel Aviv of prisoners of Iraqi and Lebanese nationalities, including Imad Amhaz, through mediations and shuttle movements, the majority of which took place in Turkey.** **A high-level Iraqi diplomat says that the one who laid out the broad outlines of these negotiations in the final stage was the head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Faleh al-Fayyad, and an official in the Iraqi Badr Corps, Hadi al-Amiri, who traveled together to Ankara last week to complete what Turkish agencies had paved the way for with Tel Aviv, to put the final touches on the release of the Russian-Israeli researcher by the Iraqi "Hezbollah", in exchange for preparing for the release of Amhaz and others from the Iraqi Hezbollah and the Lebanese militia.** **The source indicated that the one who moved the pillars of this deal more than a month ago was a senior official in the PMF and the commander of one of the pro-Iranian brigades in Iraq, where he met with a delegation from the Mossad and the Israeli Foreign Ministry at the "Rotana Erbil" hotel, and they agreed on the prisoner exchange operation, whether the Israeli researcher, Amhaz, and members of the Lebanese militia, who were kidnapped by Israel in the last war on southern Lebanon.** **The source stated that the senior leader in Lebanese Hezbollah, Muhammad Kawtharani, was closely following the latest details of the "Rotana Erbil" hotel meetings regarding this deal, tasked with indirect negotiations with the Israelis on the matter.** **Meanwhile, a well-informed Lebanese political source, who declined to be named, explained that despite Hezbollah's denial that Amhaz is not an important or affiliated member after Israel kidnapped him from Batroun, he was responsible for the maritime smuggling route.** **The source added that this deal, which is being arranged in secrecy after the Iraqi "Hezbollah" released the Israeli-Russian researcher, may be accompanied, if completed, by Israel's release, in addition to Amhaz, of 7 other members of the Lebanese militia who were kidnapped in the last war.** **The source believes that the completion of this deal may be a beginning that Hezbollah and Israel need in moving the prisoner file between them, pointing out that this operation comes under the umbrella of the ceasefire agreement that was signed regarding the last war.** **The source continued, saying that the main role in moving such a file came from the United States, especially since there are files related to the ceasefire agreement that have not been dealt with between the two parties, foremost among them the prisoner file.** **The source pointed out that "it is not strange to link the deals between the Lebanese Hezbollah and the other that bears the same name in Iraq, especially since they are within one axis, at a time when the Lebanese need a kind of moral and actual support by completing such a deal that relates to an important leader from their ranks."** **For his part, the researcher in Lebanese affairs, Qassem Youssef, says that the naval captain Imad Amhaz is one of the main cadres in "Hezbollah", who was supervising the entry of funds and weapons of the Lebanese militia from abroad, and Israel carried out a commando operation to kidnap him without injuring him, in late 2024, and the foreign and Israeli press spoke about him being subjected to a special investigation.** **Youssef believes that Israel dealt with Amhaz as a valuable catch waiting for several goals, most notably to find out the most accurate ways that Hezbollah uses to smuggle weapons and money, and it seems that Amhaz was involved in that.** **According to Youssef, "The negotiations, of course, are not new and began after the end of the war, not only to return Amhaz, but to return fighters affiliated with Hezbollah who were kidnapped from south of the Litani," pointing out that "there is a specialized body in Hezbollah to follow up on this matter with several countries, led by Germany, to complete deals of this kind."** **He added that "the exchange process has been put on (high heat) and something similar to an agreement is being made to hand over one person in exchange for another or other individuals with him, and the matter is governed by the mentality with which Israel and Hezbollah operate in deals of this kind," adding, "Perhaps the prelude to that was the release weeks ago of an Israeli by the Lebanese government, or that it is a prelude to the release of prisoners, including Amhaz."**