Biden applauds call for ceasefire in Gaza at Morehouse College commencement | 19 May 2024 | Joe Biden applauded a call for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip Sunday while attending the commencement of Morehouse College in Atlanta on Sunday. Valedictorian Deangelo Fletcher, who spoke before Biden's commencement address, stopped short of any direct rebuke of Biden but called for an "immediate and a permanent ceasefire." "It is only right for the class of 2024 to utilize any platform provided to stand in solidarity with peace and justice," Fletcher said while evoking the activism of Morehouse alumnus Martin Luther King Jr. "The Israel-Gaza conflict has plagued the people of its region for generations," he added. "It is important to recognize that both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the wake of October 7." Biden, 81, has pressed for a pause in the fighting in Gaza but has affirmed support for Israel in its war against Hamas -- a position that has roiled progressives.