And football under fire. The nfl suspends baltimores ray rice for two games for knocking out his then fiancee, then dragging her from a casino elevator. Lots of folks are now wondering whether the league really takes Domestic Violence seriously. And fathers rights. Moms getting maternity leave. What about paternity leave . Ill talk to the head of the Government Agency that just put out new guidelines designed to help dads get a jump start on fatherhood. Good saturday afternoon to you. Im craig melvin. First, breaking at this hour, in the ongoing deadly clashes between israel and hamas, the Israeli Government has agreed to extend the truce in gaza for four hours, until 5 00 eastern time today. The 12hour humanitarian ceasefire between israeli and hamas was set to expire just about an hour ago. But at this hour, reports are coming in of mortar shells landing in israel. All of this happening as secretary of state john kerry is in paris working toward a more comprehensive peace deal between the two sides. The Palestinian HealthMinistry Says some 150 bodies have now been pulled from the rubble in gaza since this ceasefire started, bringing the death toll to more than a thousand now in gaza. Israel says its lost nearly 40 soldiers in the conflict. Nbcs Martin Fletcher remains in tel aviv for us. Martin, first of all, lets start with that report, an Israeli Press of a mortar shell falling. What more can you tell us about that . Thats right. Were just about at 8 00, just when the 12hour ceasefire was coming to an end. Three rockets, the Israeli Army Says that three mortar shells were fired from gaza into a Southern Area of israel, fell in open fields, didnt do anything damage, didnt hurt anybody, but of course, its a threat to the ceasefire. I think theres a tolerance for those staggering lastgasp efforts. Theres no serious fire. But the real question is that israel has extended the ceasefire by four hours, and the cabinet will be talking about extending it further. But theres no word yet from hamas. Whether theyve agreed to the truce or not. We know again that as you just said, the United Nations asking for a full 24hour ceasefire. Does that seem likely at this point . Im guessing yes, but im guessing. I think it depends whether hamas fires rockets at israel or not. Israel certainly theyve agreed to the fourhour extension, discussed the Cabinet Meeting a 12hour extension, which takes you to about 8 00 in the morning, overnight. Another 12hour extension of the ceasefire would be good news for the civilians in gaza who have been suffering terribly in the last ten days with over a thousand dead, 5,500 wounded. But bear in mind one thing, when israel says ceasefire, they insist their troops will continue to be able to operate in gaza, looking for those tunnels. Those secret tunnels. The network that leads from gaza into israel. So israel in one sense welcomes the ceasefire because it means they can continue looking for tunnels without the threat of their soldiers who are doing that who are in a static position being attacked by imfs. Talk to us a little bit more about those tunnels and the efforts to destroy these tunnels in gaza. How many tunnels are we talking about, first of all, or do we know . Reporter well, israel says they discovered 31 tunnels with a good deal more entry points to those tunnels. The tunnels have more than the one entry shaft. And of course, israel has made the point, insisted that its main first goal in this operation is to find and destroy those tunnels. So they say they found 31 tunnels. They dont know clearly how many. In the beginning, they said there were several dozens. Theyve also said it will take another week or two weeks to destroy the tunnels theyve found and continue the search for more, so israel is demanding that they do not end the operation in gaza until what they called settle the tunnel threat, if thats possible. Martin fletcher for us in tel aviv. I want to turn to nbcs chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel, who is on the ground for us in gaza. Richard, where is hamas on extending the truce and negotiating a larger ceasefire . Reporter i wish i knew. No one here in gaza seems to know. Unfortunately, hamas doesnt always speak with one voice. Exile in other arab countries. So we really dont know. I think we will have to see the results, whether the rockets fire out of gaza in the next several hours, or tomorrow morning. Its now evening in gaza. There is increasing pressure, however, on hamas from the local people here to find some sort of solution. I was just earlier today in the neighborhood that is east of gaza city. Its really part of gaza city. Gaza city is so big, it has expanded even to neighborhoods that were once separated from the city. And i saw devastation. Block after block levelled. Saw families that had come to scour the wreckage to see if they could find their homes and couldnt even identify where their homes had been. About 100plus bodies, 150 bodies were covered from rubble like what i saw today. Three or four neighborhoods like that all across the gaza strip. Mostly concentrated around gaza city and in the south. So a lot of people would welcome this ceasefire. But they say that we need a lasting solution. Gaza is a prison. It is sealed off by israel. It is sealed off by egypt. The people cant even go out in their boats to go fishing. Also need a larger solution to this problem, which is i spoke to one political analyst. He said the war is death, but the closure is a slow death. Richard, really quickly here, the community that you just described there. When all of this is over, who rebuilds those neighborhoods . I reporter im sorry, the connection isnt very good. Could you repeat what you just said . Whos beginning to rebuild those neighborhoods when all of this is over, whos going to be responsible for the rebuilding of these communities . Well, its a great question. Because gaza is poor. The government run by hamas. Although its not a hamas entire government right now. Its now hamas in association with the palestinian authority. Hamas is not internationally recognized by europe and the United States. Its recognized by some arab countries, not all. Trying to have more legitimacy by making this alliance with the palestinian authority. Not everyone has accepted this alliance either. So theres not a lot of place where is hamas or where the palestinians here in gaza can get money. The financial infrastructure here is incredibly restricted. I spoke to one han man in that neighborhood, his house was destroyed. He was picking through debris. It was quite a desperate situation. Went through this destroyed house and all he managed to find was a propane tank and dusty mattresses. He was telling me that it took him 30 years to save up and build this house, and his son was living upstairs. He had another brother living in another apartment in the building. They were all wiped out. This was 30 years of savings. 30 careers when the economy was better than it is right now. And he had no idea how he was going to start over. Theres no insurance here. Like i was saying earlier, the government does not recognize and doesnt have easy access to money. Israel controls the border. So it limits access to basic building supplies. So a devastating event like a war here has longlasting effects. Nbcs chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel for us in gaza. Thanks as always. Stay safe, my friend. Another big developing story overseas, an emergency getting u. S. Citizens out of northern africa. The United States has evacuated the American Embassy in the libyan capital of tripoli. 150 americans, including 80 marines, were taken out by convoy in the middle of the night. They are now in neighboring tunisia. The embassy was never under imminent threat, but they say the move was as a result of increased fighting and fragility in the area. Everything seems to have gone smoothly, but we are told the u. S. Military operation involved two f16s, a naval destroyer and osprey helicopters as well. Congressman ed royce joins me now, he chairs the House Foreign Affairs committee. First of all, what more can you tells about that evacuation in libya . Well, i talked to senior u. S. Officials last night about it. What i can tell you is that there are so many militia involved on the ground today in and around tripoli. And one of those factions thats there is ansar al sharia, which is the same al qaeda affiliate that carried out the attacks in benghazi against our consulate there. What you see happening in these parts of the world is that those trying to expand sharia law, all the way from nigeria across north africa into central asia have formed these Al Qaeda Affiliated organizations and they are particularly dangerous. And in an abundance of caution, our Embassy Personnel are being moved right now. At this point, any idea when those personnel are going to be allowed to return . You know, one of the things we need to do is engage more carefully and closely with Security Forces in these countries where, you know, as in this case, you had gadhafi swept out of power. And in the absence of gadhafi, the United States needs to really be engaged with all the factions, right . Instead, in libya, youve got a situation where nature took its course. Engaged with the terrorists . Well, youre engaging actually with militia. Those militia that are fighting each other, but are also fighting the al qaeda affiliate. Okay. And thats where weve got to bring the factions together, the different communities together and say at the end of the day, you will lose to the al qaeda affiliate. They will have their sharia law if you do not put together a common front and work with the United States and our other allies in order to offset their power. Because they dont run away. Al qaeda doesnt run away in combat. Theyre there to martyr themselves. The militias will run in the face of that kind of jihadist enthusiasm. And this is increasingly what were finding from nigeria to libya, all the way into isis itself in iraq today. I want to pivot here really quickly and switch topics and get your take on the other big story that weve been following, the fighting between israel and hamas. Whats your assessment of what secretary of state john kerry has been able to do in the region over the past 24, 36 hours . You know, its very difficult because the reason this fighting perennially comes up is hamas gets their hands on more and more lethal, long range rockets. It is iran that provides those rockets. I myself saw in the attacks that were occurring because iranian rockets were slamming into haifa in israel, and i saw 600 victims down there in the trauma hospital, and what israel was trying to do twouz prevent those rockets from being launched by hitting the launchers. Was to pr those rockets from being launched by hitting the launchers. Theyre trying to suppress those rockets from being launched while at the same time, the spokesman for hamas on television asked citizens to go up on the rooftops and be human shields. So its a very, very difficult situation. Hopefully we can get the kind of ceasefire so it is your assessment then that one of the reasons that we are seeing so many casualties among women and children in gaza is because hamas has encouraged them to become human shields . Is that what youre saying . Its very unfortunate, but Sami Abu Zari has asked people to go to the rooftops and this was reported, and of course, the problem here is that some people, you know, in this kind of a situation take up that challenge to bravely go to the rooftops, but theyre on the rooftops of buildings that have launchers near them or in them. Now, the hamas leadership and this is the part that i find vexing. Theyre down in tunnels, asking that this be done. Theyre not themselves up on these rooftops. And theres 30 tunnels now or 31 tunnels that have been found. One to go in next to a kindergarten. Three miles in, into israel, where you know that theyre going to come up. And hamas is going to try to take civilians and take them captive or attack them in this kind of a situation. All right. So theyre trying to close down the tunnels, right . Congressman ed royce, we are out of time. Congressman, thank you for your time on this saturday afternoon, sir. Absolutely. Thank you. The crisis on the u. S. Border is americas fault. Thats according to one Central American president who was at the white house yesterday. We will talk about that. Well also head to 1600 pennsylvania to find out where things stand on president obamas request for billions in emergency funding. Also, does the nfl take Domestic Violence seriously . Thats what many are wondering after pro player ray rices twogame suspension for knocking his then fiancee unconscious. Honey, look i got one to land. Uhhuh theres good more. Honey, look at all these smart rewards points verizon just gave me. Ooh, you got a buddy. Im like a statue. I just signed up and, boom, all these points. And theres notsogood more. Youre a big guy. Oh no. Get the good more with Verizon Smart rewards and rack up points to use towards the things you really want. Now get 50 off all new smartphones. Can you fix it, dad . Yeah, i can fix that. dad i wanted a car that could handle anything. I fixed it dad thats why i got a subaru legacy. vo symmetrical allwheel drive plus 36 mpg. I gotta break more toys. vo introducing the allnew subaru legacy. Its not just a sedan. Its a subaru. Say hi rudy. [ barks ] [ chuckles ] id do anything to keep this guy happy and healthy. Thats why im so excited about these new milkbone brushing chews. Whoa, im not the only one. Its a brilliant new way to take care of his teeth. Clinically proven as effective as brushing. Ok, here you go. Have you ever seen a dog brush his own teeth . The twist and nub design cleans all the way down to the gum line, even reaching the back teeth. They taste like a treat, but they clean like a toothbrush. Nothing says you care like a milkbone brushing chew. [ barks ] how much dirt can we manufacture . More than you think. Very little. [ doorbell rings ] whats this . Whats that . Swiffer sweeper. [ lee ] i came in under the assumption that it was clean. Ive been living in a fools paradise [ lee ] i came in under the assumption that it was clean. Ganncr we took care of your back pain. You make him the mvp. Tylenol is clinically proven to provide strong, fast pain relief. But for everything we do, we know you do so much more. Tylenol pro football under fire. Questions linger today about whether the nfl went far enough to punish baltimores ray rice. Tmz posted this video of the ravens running back dragging his then fiancee, now wife out of an elevator. The two apparently had just had a fight where rice knocked her unconscious. Rice was arrested. He was charged with assault. The League Suspended ray rice for two games. Now the nfl is trying to convince the public that it does, in fact, take Domestic Violence seriously. Especially when other players have faced stiffer punishments for what are viewed as lesser infractions. Jemele hill is cohost of numbers never lie on espn. You are among the sports insiders who think that this was a lean punishment. What do you think the league should have done . I mean, i think i mean, theres never going to be an appropriate number for this necessarily, because its not like that image or those images of him dragging his then fiancee out of the elevator go away easily. But when you compare it to some of the punishments that have been delivered for things, you know, such as Terrelle Pryor who was suspended for five games based off violations he committed in college. Okay, you have guys who are suspended for drug use or for positive tests. Thats an automatic fourgame suspension and it only goes up if you are a repeat offender. So i dont know if Roger Goodell i know he tends to see things, as a case by case basis. All infractions or violations or other personal conduct policy. But this was so serious, and because of the presence of that video, two games is an absolute joke. Sis peter king saying one of the reasons he did not get a harsher sentence is because his wife made this personal appeal to Roger Goodell to not ruin ray rices reputation or his career. Nbc news has not verified that report. But if thats true, is that something goodell should have even taken into consideration . Look, with all due respect to mrs. Rice, her part in this, or for her to plead her husbands case, that should have been completely irrelevant. It was about what happened. The video, protecting the shield and brand of the nfl. And also, oh by the way, the nfl just so happens to have a fan base that is that has 40 women. So the message youre sending to them is you dont take an issue that primarily impacts them very seriously. Ray rices reputation is for him to try to repair. The league, what they have to try to do is again, communicate with their own consumers. Look out for the brand of the nfl, and Roger Goodell didnt do that. You know, back when goodell started in 2006, he promised to clean up the nfl. There was that Time Magazine cover with him on the front. The enforcer. How would you characterize goodells rein so far, especially as it pertains to things like this . Well, i think that he probably, and deservedly so, got the reputation as the sort of law and order commissioner. We saw there was obviously a pattern. You look at ben roethlisberger. Again, thats another case. Ben roethlisberger was never charged formally with anything, but he got a fourgame suspension because that was that embarrassment and bringing negative publicity to the brand of the nfl. And i just feel like that hes always creating, Roger Goodell, a slippery slope with a lot of these punishments. There is no