The News Minute | July 21, 2014 | 3:53 PM IST 

At least 10 militants, who were trying to infiltrate into Israel through two tunnels, were killed on Monday as the toll in Gaza in two weeks of fighting has exceeded 500, Israeli military said.

The militants were trying to tunnel in their way from northern Gaza to the Israeli side of the border when they were detected by the Israelis, Xinhua reported.

"Israel Air Force targeted one squad and a hit was confirmed," a military spokesman said.

He added that searches were still under way in the area.

At least 508 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the ongoing bloody surge of violence between Israel and the Islamist Hamas Movement since July 8.

Israel has lost 18 soldiers and two civilians.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to arrive in Cairo Monday in an attempt to draft a ceasefire agreement between the warring sides.

On Tuesday, he is expected to arrive in Jerusalem in order to continue the peace-seeking talks with the Israeli government. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is also expected to arrive later this week.

So far, despite ongoing attempts to reach a ceasefire agreement, a breakthrough has not yet been reached.

Egypt brokered a ceasefire proposal Tuesday but that was rejected by Hamas, who said their demands have not been met and that they were not a part of the discussions to form the truce deal.

IANS