FILE PHOTO: The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on its way into the Oslo Fjord, at Jeloya, Moss, Norway, May 24, 2023. Terje Pedersen/NTB Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday criticised the United States for moving a carrier strike group closer to Israel, saying that it would commit "serious massacres" in Gaza. Following a surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Sunday that the U.S. will be moving a carrier strike group, which includes the USS Gerald R. Ford, closer to Israel. "What will the aircraft carrier of the U.S. do near Israel, why do they come? They will hit Gaza and around, and take steps for serious massacres there," Erdogan said in a joint press conference with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Ankara.

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Persons: Gerald R, Terje Pedersen, Tayyip Erdogan, Lloyd Austin, Ford, Erdogan, Karl Nehammer, Huseyin Hayatsever, Sharon Singleton Organizations: U.S, aircraft, Ford, Rights, Saturday, . Defense, Austrian, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Jeloya, Moss, Norway, Rights ANKARA, United States, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Ankara, Turkey