BRUSSELS

The European Commission on Thursday said that no contact had taken place regarding the dismissal of an Italian journalist who questioned Israel's responsibility for rebuilding Gaza, emphasizing that it remains firmly committed to press freedom.

"I can categorically confirm that no contact has taken place between anyone at the European Commission and the media in question," commission spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters at the midday briefing.

Gill stressed that the commission "answers any and all questions" raised in the press room and that this principle "has always been the case and will always be the case."

"We can't comment on a specific case. All I can do is reiterate our commitment as the European Commission to press freedom," he added.

His remarks came after reports that Gabriele Nunziati, Brussels correspondent for the Italian news agency Nova, was dismissed weeks after asking whether Israel should pay for Gaza’s reconstruction—a question he linked to the EU’s repeated claim that Russia must fund Ukraine’s postwar recovery.

Nunziati's inquiry, posed during an Oct. 13 press conference, went viral online. Nova later argued the question was "technically incorrect" and said the video had caused "embarrassment" for the agency.

Another reporter repeated Nunziati's original question. Responding, commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the comparison between Russia's and Israel's actions "does not hold," and the commission would "not enter into that debate."

El Anouni restated the EU's call for Israel to comply with international humanitarian law, including the release of withheld Palestinian clearance revenues.

He noted that the EU expects progress on three fronts: increased humanitarian access to Gaza, transfer of Palestinian revenues, and unrestricted entry for journalists, humanitarian workers, and international NGOs.

The Israeli army killed nearly 69,000 Palestinians and injured over 170,000 others in a brutal offensive in the Gaza Strip, which started in October 2023. A ceasefire was reached last month based on a 20-point plan presented by US President Donald Trump.