JERUSALEM, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Israeli troops shot and killed an ax-wielding Palestinian man who tried to cross the fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Israeli military said in a statement.

The man attempted to damage the fence along with another man, in an attempt to "infiltrate" into Israeli territory, the statement said.

"In response, Israel Defense Forces troops arrived at the scene and opened fire ... killing one of them," the statement read.

It was not immediately clear what happened to the another Palestinian man.

The incident came at a time of renewed violence along the fence, where Israeli forces have killed at least 122 Palestinians during the clashes with Palestinian protesters who started the massive "March of Return" on March 30.

Last week, Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets at southern Israel, causing some property damage but no casualties.