Italian news agency reporter denounces death threats after colleague fired over Gaza reconstruction issue
LONDON: Journalists at Italian news agency Nova have condemned death threats they received days after one of their colleagues was fired over questions about whether Israel should pay for rebuilding Gaza.
Gabriele Nunziati, the Brussels-based EU correspondent for Roma’s Nova newspaper, was fired late last month after questioning European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pigno about Israel’s responsibility for rebuilding Gaza.
The article was first reported by Italian news website Fanpage on Tuesday and quickly spread through national and international media, prompting accusations that the station was stifling free speech.
In a statement to Arab News on Thursday, Nunziati’s former colleagues revealed that he had been the target of intimidation and death threats since the incident became public.
“We, the journalists of Agenzia Nova, are saddened by the situation of our colleague Gabriele Nunziati. However, we want to express our opinion and defend ourselves against the unfair and unfounded attacks, threats and insults of recent days, which we do not accept,” the journalists said in the letter.
They stressed that staff “have never felt under political pressure (or) censored.”
“We have always been free to ask questions as we deem appropriate as a tool to understand current developments and the complexity of national and international scenarios.”
Piena Solidarity al Giornalista Gabriele Nunziati, Brussels Correspondent @agenzia_novalicenziato dopo aver posto una domanda durante una conferenza stampa della Commissione Europea:
“Russian Dovra Pagare in Ukraine, Dovrebe Farro Anke Israel Pershe… pic.twitter.com/6wVGQLncqe— Ilaria Salis (@SalisIlaria) November 5, 2025
The journalists acknowledged that there were “many inaccuracies” in Nunziati’s case, but insisted that “news agencies have the right to publish only the facts.”
On October 13, Mr. Nunziati asked Mr. Pinho at a press conference whether Israel should be responsible for the cost of rebuilding the Gaza Strip, a territory that has been more than 70% destroyed, in light of the EU’s repeated position that Russia should pay for rebuilding Ukraine.
“You have reiterated over and over again that Russia should bear the costs of rebuilding Ukraine,” Nova contractor Nunziati told a daily news conference. “Do you think Israel should pay for the reconstruction of Gaza because it has destroyed almost all of the civilian infrastructure in Gaza?”
Piño called it an “interesting question” but declined to comment further.
Footage of the exchange went viral, which was unusual for a European Commission press conference, and attracted a lot of attention to Nunziati.
Nunziati said in an interview that he received two “tense” phone calls from Nova’s boss within two weeks of being questioned, but the agency did not provide a reason for the termination.
Nova later admitted that it had ended its relationship with Nunziati because his questions were “technically incorrect,” explaining that Russia had baselessly invaded a sovereign state, while Israel was responding to the attack.
The agency said it had explained the difference to Nunziati “several times” but that Nunziati “did not understand the fundamental legal difference” and insisted the questions were accurate, saying the action revealed a “lack of understanding of international law”.
Video of the exchange was later amplified by Russian nationalist and anti-European Islamist channels, which Nova said was embarrassing for authorities.
Nunziati supported his question and insisted on Instagram that it was based on fact.
“My question can only be considered biased if it requires denying reality. It is true that Israel has almost completely destroyed Gaza… It is true that the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some of his ministers for war crimes and crimes against humanity… It would be biased to deny them.”
Anna Laura Orrico, an Italian lawmaker representing the Five Star Movement, said that if the reports are true, Nunziati’s dismissal is “absolutely shameful for a news organization.”
The Italian National Newspaper Federation joined the International and European Federation of Journalists in condemning the dismissal and criticizing Nova’s censorship.
The National Council of the Order of Journalists expressed shock and called for Nunziati’s immediate reinstatement, stressing that the role of journalists is to “ask questions that may be uncomfortable or unwelcome.”
Nunziati’s dismissal comes amid concerns about the erosion of press freedom in Italy since October 7, 2023. Italy has fallen three places to 49th in Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index this year amid scandals including the surveillance of journalists reporting on far-right extremism.
A Guardian investigation revealed that Francesco Cancellato, director of a fan page, was spied on using spyware supplied to government agencies by Israel after exposing fascist and anti-Semitic behavior within Italy’s far-right youth organization.
Italy’s current government, led by Giorgia Meloni, denies any involvement in the incident.
