JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians were arrested by the Israeli army on Wednesday after they crossed from the Gaza Strip to Israel, the military said.

"IDF (Israel Defense Forces) troops spotted two suspects crossing the security fence from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

"They were apprehended near the point of crossing and were transferred to security forces for further questioning," the statement read.

In a search, one of the suspects was found to have possessed a knife, the spokesperson added.

The incident comes amidst a surge of protest in Gaza against the 11-year blockade imposed by Israel on the Palestinian enclave.

Gazans hold daily rallies along the fence separating Gaza and Israel, burn tires and occasionally hurl explosives. Hamas-backed Gazans occasionally launch helium-filled balloons towards southern Israel to set fires in the arid farmlands.

The Israeli forces have reacted to the demonstrations with fire, killing at least 180 Palestinians since the protest began on March 30.