Pope Francis calls to "free the hostages" and for "all civilians" to "not fall victim to the conflict" raging between Israeli forces and Palestinian-based group Hamas. Alarm has grown about a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where Israel has cut off water, food and power, vowing to maintain the complete siege until all hostages taken by the Palestinian Islamist militant group are freed. In the eight days since Hamas gunmen killed more than 1,300 Israelis in their attack, Israel has responded with a devastating bombing campaign that has claimed over 2,300 lives in Gaza. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES