their voices out there, and al jazeera america is doing just that. >> announcer: this is al jazeera. ♪ >> welcome to the news hour. i'm in doha with the top stories. healing divisions in iraq. kurdish mp's return to parliament as the fight against the islamic state continues. the group's beheading of a u.s. journalist has been condemned by leaders in washington and europe. >> hundreds at tend the funerals in gaza for the victims of israeli air strikes after the collapse of the ceasefire.

protesters demanding the resignation of pakistan's prime minister begin talks with the government. and making recycling pay, how collecting battles is providing vital cash for germany's poor. ♪ iraq's ethnic and political divisions have been widening for months placing the country's future under threat. but now at least one sign of reconciliation. kurdish ministers are returning to the central government. the kurds are in charge of their own region in the north. their mp's include one man who pulled out of the national government last month. they were in dispute with malky,

but now maliki is on his way out. the man who has the task of healing the wounds is the new prime minister designate. monica has this report. >> reporter: kurdish politicians are coming back. the block had left prime minister maliki's government two months ago, after we accused them of helping terrorists. now there is a common enemy, the islamic state group which controls nearly a third of the country. the kurd official resumed his position. maliki is on his way out, but during his weekly address, he had this advise for his successor. >> translator: security, economic stability and safety are all dependant on the stability where there is no tension, division, enemies, or

struggle when the parliament and the government. >> reporter: many blame maliki for iraq's crisis. his army became perceived as a shiite force, serving shiite interests. but things changed. they started backing the national army. a sign of unity. and a challenge for the man who inherits the crisis, as he tries to reach out to different factions. let's cross to zana. it seems this bodes well for iraq's unity? >> undoubtedly. at the end of the day they have to come together to win this battle, but this is the kurds -- we have been speaking to them. they are also in disagreement to

join the government. they have their own conditions. they want to make sure they are equal partners. there are a lot of unresolved issues between the central government in bagdad, and the shared oil resources, and the kurds accused the government of being responsible for the crisis in iraq. so now the kurds say that they are ready to talk, but the bottom line is this, you are going to need iraq sunnis on board. sunni tribal leaders do, and you are going to need them on your side if you are going to defeat the islamic state group. they are saying it's not just the question of replacing maliki with another man, they want a regime change and an end to iranian influence. they are calling for greater

autonomy. they don't trust the iraqi army. that look at the army as a force that the shiite go actually uses. so there are still a lot of grievances on the side of the sunnis. and it will be very difficult to see how a colags can be formed and move head. >> you mentioned the iraqi army there. they weren't very successful in their push towards ta -- tikrit, what was the reason behind this. >> the army all but collapsed, really in the face of the advance. it's not going to be easy. we know the army is being supported by shiite militias. they need the support of the people there. and what we have been seeing over recent weeks are continuous attacks by the iraqi army.

air strikes, shelling, targeting homes. so you need these people on your side. at the end of the day the advancing force has a disadvantage. and we have to remember, they captured a lot of weapons from the iraqi army. so this is going to be a very difficult fight, but what is becoming clear is the obama administration cannot do much unless there is a government in place that represents all of the unities, and this becomes a united nations. >> reporter: this is a city not at peace with the it's a or the rest of iraq. the iraqi air northwest has been targeting it for months now. their enemy is the islamic state group and sunni forces who have taken up forces against the army in bagdad. almost 700 are believed to have been killed in government

attacks since january. >> translator: the situation is terrible. many people have been killed. we want to go back home. but we don't expect a solution because politicians are just fighting for their seats. >> reporter: this is the country's dominant sunni province. the local authority takes orders from bagdad, and some sunni tribes have sided with the state. those alliances are the only thing that has prevented the islamic state group from controlling the whole of the province. that is the kind of alliance the government needs to recapture support. they need support of the groups to win the battle. much attention has been focused on the islamic state group, but there was previously an

uprising. they demanded more rights and the government responded with force, and the islamic state group moved in. now there is hope the new prime minister might be able to reach out to all of iraq's political factions. >> translator: we hope the new government will be able to control the security situation. we want to return home. and we don't want iraq to be divided. >> reporter: many in this country and the international community may see the islamic state group as the biggest threat, but the real threat may be the lack of unity among all iraqis. the french government has described the islamic state group murder of a u.s. journalist as bar -- bah bare

rack. the fighter in the video seems to have an british accent. the group says foley's killing is in response to what it calls u.s. aggression towards them. well james foley's mother has issued a statement on facebook. in it she says we have never been prouder of our son, jim. he gave his life trying to expose the world to the suffering of the syrian people. we implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages, like jim they aring next. they have no control over american government policy or anywhere else in the world. we have joined by a freelance journalist who was detained along with james foley. thank you very much for being with us. they say you only know the true character of a man when he is facing his darkest moment.

you were in prison in libya with james foley, tell us what he was like. >> he was a very good journalist. he was seeking the truth like every journalist working for -- he was working for a u.s. affiliate called the atlantic. i met him in a detention center. we were arrested apparently the same day by the gadhafi troops. we were taken to the same center. james was with two other colleagues, claire who was working for usa today, and spanish photographer. we didn't have much to talk about on -- on the following day, we were driven or taken on a mini bus to tripoli. the journey was long, and we had the chance to talk. it was there when i knew james and he told me his story, and he was a little bit aggressive

panicking a little bit when we were questioned by the soldiers. i asked him not to be aggressive against those soldiers because they were just executing orders. it was better to be nice. they may sympathize with our case. anyway, so we were detained in the same -- also the same center in tripoli. >> right. >> the signs of torture were clear on his face, because i can see blood all over his shirt, and -- but in the end he realized that he has no other choice but to be nice to those people and try to work his way out. six weeks later he was released when i left -- i left him in the detention center, and then i was the first journalist who informed his family and his employer about the -- that he was alive with claire and with -- the spanish

photographer. >> we just -- losing time here, and i want to try to get to as many questions with you. now we have lost many war course while on duty, some of the high profile names like james foley, and some say there shouldn't be sympathy for these people who choose to put themselves in these dangerous situations. what do you say to that? >> no, i don't agree. we are trying to seek the truth and bring the picture as close as possible to the viewer, and i think those groups who are governments or terrorist groups who try to stop the journalists from doing their job are wrong. they should not consider the journalists are spies or -- or taking sides with -- with their governments or they should really let the journalists do their job. we are there only to look for

the truth, to seek the truth and to be as neutral as possible. i am algearian, but i work in different parts of the world. it doesn't mean when i go to libya, or afghanistan, i am taking sides against taliban or against the government. this is not the case at all. the journalist is there to look for the truth to try to be as neutral as possible, and without the journalist in the field, we would never know what is going on on the ground. i think what happened to james foley was a criminal act. it has a criminal act. it is a bar barrack act, as described by the french government, and i think i take this side as you, and i take this view, and we should be allowed to work and we should be allowed to be protected, and i think the journalists around the world should unite, and there

should be a charter to protect the journalists in the world. and those who try to shoot the journalists or not allow them to do their job, should be held responsible, and this group should be held responsible. it has nothing to do with islam. >> let's talk about this group. you have covered many conflicts, met several fighters on both sides of the conflict. we are seeing the rise of the islamic state group, the numbers of recruits are rising as well. why are they able to kre -- recruit more people? >> well, here you are raising a very important question about who finances this group? who is behind giving them the possibility to come and recruit people? the uk, europe, and different parts of the world? these people in the uk, for

example, they should understand that this is a [ inaudible ] country. we are here as a community. islam is respected. every religion is respected in this country, and we should be thanking the government forallowing us to be here and exercise our freedom. they should not follow those who are calling them to go and kill their brothers in syria, in iraq, in different parts of the world and calling themselves islamic. when a muslim kill a muslim, you have no right as muslim to kill even -- i don't know -- an insect. killing a human being is like killing humanity, that's what islam stands for.

this group should be held responsible and stop this, because it's tarnishing the community of islam, it's having a large impact on the islam communities. islam is a message of peace, of kindness to all and not killing innocent human beings. and i have a book that will be out next week. and i hope people will read it. and this will give me the opportunity to talk about what is journalism and looking for the truth and seeking the reality. >> unfortunately we're going to have to leave it. thank you so much for being it on the phone. freelance journalist who was once detained with murdered journalist james foley. let's move on now, and still

ahead on the program, u.s. attorney general eric holder is to travel to ferguson, following days of protests over the death of a black teenager. buried by a river of mud, dozens of people are killed by landslides in japan. ♪ and in sport, the illegal transfer of minors cost barcelona a one-year ban on buying players. ♪ at least 21 people have been killed in gaza in israeli air strikes less than 24 hours after peace talks broke down. the head include the wife and children of a hamas leader. hamas blames israel for breaking the ceasefire. israel has stepped up security

along the gaza border. israeli soldiers and tanks have been patrolling the area, and israeli ships are reportedly shelling the coastline. 66 israelis have been killed including two civilians since the beginning of the operation in early july. a thai national was also killed in israel. more than 2,000 palestinians have been killed in the violence, and more than 10,000 injured. most of the dead and injured have been civilians. hundreds of people have been attending funerals for the latest victims of israel's latest air strikes in gaza. here is our report. >> reporter: the funeral for any youngest victim of the newest round of hostilities the son of the leader of hamas. the toddler and his wife were killed when a missile hit their

home. at least 45 people were injured in the same air strike. it's not clear whether the commander was in the house at the time. he was israel's intended target. hamas says they missed it. many of the people immediately ran to the un shelters as soon as they heard about it, even though they say they still don't feel safe here. many lead in at night while fire was intensifying. this woman and her 16 children live in one of the border areas where most of the fighting happened. >> translator: we had so much hope the ceasefire would last? do you think we are happy with this war? we were hearing about the possibility of a ceasefire. then we heard about their home and we were scared. >> reporter: an estimated 250,000 people have taken refuge in the un schools before the

ceasefire. some had gone back home during the ceasefire. >> translator: i had to come back here for my children. i don't know what more can israel hit? we don't have any choice. either we live or we die. there is nothing left for us. >> reporter: here people fear it could happen again. they don't know how much longer this war will last, but for now this is the safest place they can be in gaza. we are now joined live from gaza. it seems the residents find themselves continuing to live in destruction and limbo. >> absolutely. and uncertainty about the future. you see those people sitting there had so much hope, and they don't know what is going to happen next. you do hear continuously

everywhere you go out there this trip, explosions air strikes. they know that at the moment there is no way out. there is no solution, at least publicly inside, and they are very worried how long that will last. there have been several israeli air strikes. some have targeted empty areas. some have targeted homes. in a town a missile struck a home and health officials tell us a heavily pregnant woman and three children were killed in that attack. so also the human toll is increasing by the hour year. >> as you say as the death toll rises, the ceasefire definitely over, can we definitely say the peace talks are done, over. >> we just heard from a senior hamas official. he said all options were still on the table, including the

resumption of these indirect talks. that is more or less the same position of the head of the palestinian delegation. he said last night that yes, they would leave in the morning andment come back to the west bank, but they -- they did not withdraw from the talks. the position of the palestinian delegation all along was that they have put forward to the egyptians a -- a -- a new, modified proposal for the egyptians to pass to the israelis, and they were waiting for a response from the israelis. that hasn't come yet. now the palestinians say if there is an answer from the israelis, they are willing to return to cairo. >> thank you hoda. at least 34 civilians and 9 soldiers have been killed in the last 24 hours as ukraine battles pro-russian separatists in the east. the ukrainian military is trying

to surround the largest city under rebel control. some residents have tried to escape the fighting. others have taken refuge in their basement. ukrainian troops are also trying to drive troops out of the city. protesters have scaled one of moscows skyscrapers and attached the ukrainian flag to the top. and they painted the national colors of ukraine on its spire. police say four suspects have been detained and charged with vandalism. the ukrainian president has welcomed the raising the flag, calling it a symbolic gesture. talks have begun to end the political crisis in islamabad. protesters have been demanding the resignation of the prime

minister. we're joined live now from islamabad, and the prime minister definitely feeling the pressure of the street protests. has he responded in anyway? >> he has not come out in public himself, but it appears for the first time since this crisis began, [ inaudible ] was approached by members of the opposition movement as well as the son of a former military ruler told the representative that he was ready for talks and that he had never said that he was not open to talks. however, imran khan had always said that he and his supporters would be marching on [ inaudible ] the crisis was spiralling out of control, the military chief also stepped in

and advised everybody that sanity should prevail, everybody should get to the negotiating table and try to resolve this peacefully. so pressure from the army, and talks are underway with the professor. offer they are still insisting that they will not accept anything other than the resignation of the prime minister. >> kamal thank you. the u.s. attorney general eric holder is set to visit a town where there has been fighting with police over the death of an unarmed black teenager. president obama sent holder to ferguson to conduct an inquiry into the shooting of michael brown. rob reynolds has the latest.

>> reporter: instead of the stench of tear gas or burning shops, the air was filled with the chance of peaceful protests. the family of michael brown, the 18 year old who's slaying at the hands of a ferguson police officer while unarmed touched off the racially tinged uproar, announced his funeral will be held on monday august 25th. that's the same day that area schools are due to reopen, after a week's delay. welcome news for students. >> this is affecting us horribly. we are supposed to be in school. >> reporter: other long-time residents of this town believe it's time for the protests that have disrupted life here to end. >> this has been ten days now. it should have been over with several days ago. >> reporter: with a grand jury

meeting wednesday to look at evidence against the officer who shot brown, missouri governor put out a message calling for respect for the law and [ inaudible ] for the brown family. >> a vigorous prosecution must now be pursued. the obligation to achieve justice in the shooting death of michael brown must be carried out thoroughly, promptly and correctly. >> reporter: the mayor said he would make stronger efforts to recruit african american officers to the town's nearly all-white police force. but few blacks here dream of a law enforcement career. >> the kids now run up, they are changing the field and saying i don't want to be a police officer. the change in diversity in

police, and the whole situation, but now it's like the rating has gone down for kids in high school saying i want to be a cop. >> reporter: the rifts in this community will take a long time to be closed, bah night without violence is a decent start. still ahead on the al jazeera news hour. the islamic state group may be funding its violent acts with illicit sales of oil. these next door neighbors live in an illegal slum in india, but the government says one is poor and the other is not. and in sport south american's champion football team meet their most high-profile fan. ♪

is there a difference between a police officer and soldier - what they are for, how they are equipped. the job they are trained to do. as the conflict in ferguson, missouri flares and flames every differences. it's "inside story".