GAZA - Qatar has entered the mediation efforts between rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas in a new bid to achieve reconciliation between the two sides, Palestinian sources said on Saturday.

"Qatar, as a state of strategic weight in the region, seeks to sponsor the mediation between Hamas and Fatah to end the internal split and reunite the two wings of Palestine," the sources said.

The split was made last year when Hamas ousted Fatah from Gaza and seized control of the coastal Strip. Fatah was driven out to the West Bank where it consolidated its rule while Hamas tightened its grip on Gaza.

Qatari officials are holding talks with leaders from Hamas and Fatah to convince them to return to dialogue, the sources added. The Qatari efforts focus on overcoming the consequences of Hamas' violent takeover of the Strip before Hamas starts dialogue with Fatah.

The new efforts come as Egypt, the long-dominant mediator, is also boosting its own efforts to achieve reconciliation between the Palestinian factions.