Israeli troops arrested two Palestinians who crossed into Israeli territory from the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, one of whom was armed with a knife, the army said.

The two men were spotted as they crossed the security fence in the territory’s north.

“The suspects were arrested close to where they crossed [into Israel],” the Israel Defense Forces said.

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They were handed over to the Shin Bet security service for questioning.

The incident came amid a recent increase in violence along the Gaza border.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and actively calls for Israel’s destruction, has increased the pace of rioting and demonstrations against Israel, and created new units tasked with sustaining tensions along the border fence including during nighttime and early morning hours.

The latest surge of violence in Gaza began in March with a series of protests along the border that were dubbed the “March of Return.” The clashes have included regular rock and Molotov cocktail attacks on troops, as well as shooting and IED attacks aimed at IDF soldiers, and attempts to breach the border fence.

Israel has responded with riot dispersal means and live fire to prevent attempts at breaching the border fence.

Gaza protesters have also launched incendiary kites and balloons into Israel, sparking fires that have destroyed forests, burned crops, and killed livestock. Over 7,000 acres of land have been burned, causing millions of shekels in damages, according to Israeli officials. Some balloons have carried improvised explosive devices.

At least 140 Palestinians were killed during the protests since late March, according to AP figures. Hamas has acknowledged that dozens of the fatalities were its members.