German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called Sunday for a massive increase in aid to Gaza and a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas - in a joint briefing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

During the Sunday briefing in Jerusalem, Scholz also questioned Israel's planned assault on Rafah. 

"How should more than 1.5 million people be protected? Where should they go?" Scholz asked, while Netanyahu stood feet away.

"We cannot stand by and watch Palestinians risk starvation," he continued. "That's not us. That is not what we stand for together."

Their public statements came after a private meeting where Scholz said he shared his concerns about the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza as Israel presses ahead with its war against Hamas.

The chancellor also said that Israel needs to work harder to prevent an even greater humanitarian crisis.

"Much more humanitarian aid is needed continuously," he said

The meeting comes as international criticism of Israel's offensive grows and Netanyahu faces calls for new elections in Israel.

On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Netanyahu "has lost his way" and Israel should hold a vote for a new government.

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said that calls for an election would force Israel to stop fighting and paralyze the country, the Associated Press reported.

Israel's war against Hamas began on Oct. 7 when the terror group launched a surprise attack on Israel, indiscriminately killing some 1,200 people and abducting about 240 hostages back to Gaza.

Israel responded with a large-scale air and land campaign aimed at rooting Hamas out of Gaza. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 31,000 people have been killed in Gaza.

Civilians represent the majority of those killed in both cases.